Should politicians take part in union strikes?

Patricia Maganu
Staff writer-Edward Bule
Correspondent | Thursday April 21, 2011 00:00

One group feels that unions should only address the economic and working conditions of the workers and desist from becoming political actors. The other insists that in a liberal democracy, unions are part of the political process adding that workers and politicians are 'comrades in arms' who cannot be expected to stay an arms length relationship with each other.

Addressing workers in the on-going BOFEPUSU-led strike in Francistown, the Regional Secretary, Tshekatsheko Lekang, said that if the government continues breaching the strike rules, the union will have no choice but to ask for assistance from opposition parties.

Mogakolodi Keonyatso, a resident of Francistown says that it is not appropriate for political activists to make political capital of the strike by hovering at the meeting places of the striking workers.

Gift Bupelo sees nothing wrong with politicians showing up at the meeting as long as they remain professional by not recruiting the aggrieved workers.  For his part, Kago Leepile, another resident of Francistown, says that opposition politicians should use their influence to persuade the employees to return to work.

Speaking in his personal capacity, an activist of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), Ntangisi Bakwali feels that politicians should associate themselves with the grievances of the workers without being too visible. He adds that, although he supports the workers in the on-going strike, he personally prefers to stay away from the workers' gatherings.

Bakwali says that there is a convergence of interest between BOFEPUSU and opposition parties with respect to the problem of low wages for the workers. Vain Mamela, national organising secretary of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) challenges those who criticise the involvement of opposition politicians in the strike 'to tell them whether Ian Khama and Ponatshego Kedikilwe are not politicians'. Mamela maintains that the President has pronounced the position of his party with respect to the strike adding that it would be suicidal for opposition parties to remain silent.

The chairman of the national mobilisation committee of the BMD, Kabo Morwaeng says that trade union disputes are part of politics. He feels that it would be irresponsible for any political party, especially in the opposition, to leave trade union issues out of politics. He insists that the most realistic thing to do as political parties is to take a position on all matters of national interest.

BDP Youth League National Political officer Frank Nfila said that he is disturbed by the way political parties, especially youth leaders choose to involve themselves. He said that in his view it is not right for opposition parties to always involve themselves in things that seem to be against the government because that shows that they have an agenda.

'They do not care about the outcome of the strike, they just want to get government employees on their side,' he said. He said that even though they are politicians, youth leaders should always think about the youth before they engage in any politicking.

'It is a shame to see opposition members attending the strike wearing party colours because then everything changes. It (the strike) has some political interest and influence, it seems,' said Nfila.

BCP Secretary General Kesitegile Gobotswang says he wonders how anybody can complain about the relationship between workers and the opposition.  'As opposition parties, we support the workers because their fight is right,' he adds.

The BCP secretary general says that as the opposition, their mandate is to fight for the rights of the people.The BCP official further reveals that on May 7, opposition parties 'will stage a big demonstration in solidarity with the workers'.