Disunited federations stumbling block to workers agenda

SHEPHERD MOTELEBANE | Friday May 3, 2013 00:00

It will remain a pipe dream for as long as BFTU and BOFEPUSU do not bury the hatchet and begin to work towards the realisation of the emancipation of the workers from the harsh fiscal policies :The country's two Workers Federations commemorated this year's May Day under themes which are critical in the ultimate goal of the emancipation of workers from the bondage of exploitation by the forces of capital.

However, conditions on the ground are not conducive for the realisation of the goals of the themes.Yet, the themes can be used to create necessary ideological and material conditions for the march towards better living conditions for the working class.

The Botswana Federation of Public Service Union' s(BOFEPUSU) theme was 'The Protection of Workers Rights and Unleashing of Workers Agenda into National Politics,' while that of Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) was 'Organisational Renewal and Working Class Unity in Defence of Fundamental Rights.'

The coining of the themes are indicative enough of the desire by both federations to improve the material conditions of the workers who are currently under the sharp knife of inflation and the chocking grip of an unfriendly government.Nevertheless, the Federations only have themselves to blame, even though the ideological position of the government is fundamentally negative towards labour.

To start with, it is difficult even to date to understand why BOFEPUSU was formed considering that our population and economy are so small as to accommodate two workers federations; and resources both material and human are scanty. The only reasons ever to surface are linked to opinion differences and the fighting for control of BFTU.The reasons are not insurmountable and can be addressed.

Therefore, the existing disunity within the labour movement, which has effectively divided workers into private and public sectors, has rendered the workers weak and thus open to exploitation. It is easy for the government and any other employer to deal the workers a lousy hand because of the obvious powerlessness; the issue of the 'Protection of Workers Rights or 'Defence of Fundamental Rights 'becomes almost impossible if the Trade Unions remain weak.

The suggestion of BOFEPUSU's theme that unions must move from being workerist into the realm of national politics is correctly backed by the need to do so through the 'Workers Agenda'. The BFTU calls for 'Organisational Renewal and Working class Unity' as essential ingredients to the Defence of Fundamental Rights.

There is nothing more true to the condition of the workers in Botswana today than the need for organizational renewal, in the form of strengthening workers ideology, education and membership base. Similarly unity of the working   class is critical. It is very important for workers to know and understand their social class in order to act upon their unfavourable conditions.

However, unity of the working class can only take place where the labour movement is united because the trade unions are the only formal organisations of the working class. It will remain a pipe dream for as long as BFTU and BOFEPUSU do not bury the hatchet and begin to work towards the realisation of the emancipation of the workers from the harsh fiscal policies.

The federations must remember that the slogans 'United we Stand and Divided we Fall'  'An injury to one is an Injury to All' 'Solidarity!' are not just slogans but the principles by which the unions should exist. They must not forget that the unions were created by an ideology  that believes in the strength of  action driven by the collective as opposed  to  that driven by rugged individualism .

The Federations must also realise that the possibility of a Working Class Agenda rests on their shoulders and that its entry into state power can only happen if workers move as one and their resource, both human and material, should be put together to ensure that workers' rights are protected and their collective aspirations are realised.  The coming together of BFTU and BOFEPUSU can create a true bastion of the workers in Botswana.