Bill must protect collective bargaining and democracy

Editor | Thursday December 11, 2008 00:00

The bill seeks to keep the public service up to speed with the current developments in the area of public service while at the same time streamlining all the acts that relate to public service.

Not long ago, government ratified International Labour Organisation conventions that accord public service employees the right to form and organise unions. The government of Botswana has since domesticated these conventions in Botswana law. First it was the employee organisations that were transformed into unions.

Now, Parliament is saddled with the task of giving teeth to the refurbished labour laws by recognising the right of the public service unions to collective bargaining.

Recognition of the public sector unions will help to improve efficiency, but more importantly, it will clarify roles.

According to the Parliament debate, it appears that the envisaged bill has some regressive elements, much as it is hailed as a major breakthrough.

Clause 27 of the bill seeks to empower accounting officers with the prerogative of summary dismissal of subordinates.

Without doubt, there are instances of indiscipline in the civil service, which must be uprooted without undue hesitation, this does not at all justify a blank cheque to senior officials to do as they please.

It is highly probable as the army incipiently creeps into all sectors of the government administration that such powers could be abused by vindictive authorities, or otherwise, without well considered judgement.

Surprisingly, the bill seeks to debar industrial workers from taking part in active politics.
In the past, industrial workers participated in active politics - including holding elective office - without prejudice to the proper discharge of their duties, none of which could unfairly influence decisions in the larger administration of things.

The system could have been fine tuned without depriving the workers of their right to participate in the political arena as freely as they did before.

The bill, like most that came during President Khama's era, is laden with clauses that take away people's fundamental rights. On the surface, these developments might appear to be inconsequential, but looked at then closely, they make a profound difference to Botswana's democracy.

Parliament will do well to consider this bill seriously in order that it makes sure the necessary amendments are made to protect participatory democracy. 

                                       Today's Thought
Where there is no leadership the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
                              - Proverbs 11:14 (Bible)