The two-month strike that crippled the country last year should have taught us the ordinary people, BOFEPUSU members, and those in the corridors of power a lesson that dialogue is the key to peaceful co-existence. Reports that government has trashed any negotiations for a salary increment, on the grounds that there is no money - are indeed disturbing. They could be interpreted, perhaps rightly so, that the government does not care about the welfare of its employees nor does it take them seriously on issues that affect them.
On the other hand, BOFEPUSU is increasing its threats of another strike that will - if execute - kill softly all the people and institutions that dependent on government services. Whether we like it or not, last year's strike has cost us dearly. Although we cannot directly link last year's deaths to the strike, we definitely lost our loved ones whose lives could have been saved. Many patients who are dependent on prescribed drugs were turned away from government health facilities, as doctors and nurses were nowhere to be seen. Many people lost business opportunities, and the completion of some important projects, such as roads, was delayed. Delivery of goods was also disrupted. Most importantly, the backbone of our economy - the beef industry - was badly affected following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the northern part of this country during the strike.
