Govt Doubts ILO Transparency
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Monday June 19, 2017 16:47
Botswana’s credibility as the shining example of democracy in Africa came into question after it was listed to appear before the International CAS.
The country was named among other 24 member states of the ILO who appeared before the committee during the just ended International Labour Conference (ILC) for violation of Convention 87 of the ILO in Geneva, Switzerland. Botswana was reported to the ILO by trade unions after Parliament enacted the new Trade Dispute Act (TDA) that essentially took away the striking right of the workers as it makes a large portion of public workers among them diamond sorting and cutting, teachers, immigration and customs services essential workers.
Convention 87 is on the fundamental rights of workers on the freedom to associate and the right to organise. This includes their right to organise their administration and activities.
Botswana made it into the preliminary top 40, which was trimmed down to 24 by CAS. When addressing members of the media upon his arrival from the conference on Friday, Mabeo said that while it is not good that the country was listed among countries that violate labour laws, there is secrecy as to how countries are short-listed.
“Moreover, a number of delegates expressed dissatisfaction relating to the processes followed by the Committee of Application of Conventions and Recommendations. In particular, the lack of transparency, failure to look at positive events, and citing of negative events in countries as examples,” Mabeo said. “There is lack of transparency in the process of short listing the 24 countries to appear before the committee. We are not the only ones complaining, other countries as well raised the same issues. It is not good for the country to be on that list. Other countries that have continuously appeared on that list have lost aid from other countries,” he said.
Mabeo further stated that countries were not impressed with how the committee came up with recommendations for countries that appeared before it without involving them. He also said that there is contradiction by the ILO on the issue of essential services, which is in relation to what Botswana was said to have violated. He said that the employer group also raised concerns about the contradictory recommendations of the Committee of Experts on unionisation by the prison officers. However, he said that they acknowledge the recommendations by the ILO as they buttresses what is already in government’s plan.
The committee ordered government to allow prison services employees to unionise, that there be an amendment of the Trade Dispute Act and the Trade Unions and Employers Organisations Act for conformity with Convention 87 and national laws and that the government with tripartite partners develop a time bound action plan of implementation of direction of ILO, which government has to report to CAS on the progress made before November 2017.
“The committee buttressed on what we are doing at the ministry with the Labour law reforms which would address gaps in the Acts. We will engage as a tripartite and address the issues,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mabeo could not commit as to whether government would allow prison officers to unionise. He however stated that government’s position regarding prison officers is that members of the disciplined forces are custodians of public safety and security. He said that support staff or administrative staff in the Department of Prisons and Rehabilitation are allowed to unionise as their responsibilities does not border on security.