A background
Botswana labour organisations' active participation in labour-related issues dates back to pre-independence days. During the colonial period, labour organisations were very vocal and in fact some contributed immensely to Botswana's independence. Immediately coming to mind are labour organisations like the Francistown Employees Union (1949), Serowe Workers Union (1958), Bechuanaland Protectorate Workers' Union (1959), Bechuanaland Trade Union Congress (1962), Bechuanaland General Workers Organisation, and so on. Botswana Civil Service Association (BCSA) and Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) were also formed far back in 1937 and 1949 as Bechuanaland Protectorate African Teachers' Association and African Civil Service Association respectively. BTU was quite active in labour issues and it was only in later years that it became too preoccupied with extra-curricular activities like sports and choirs and almost lost focus there. As it is, now, it is on the verge of refocusing and trying to forge the elusive unity attempts with other like-minded organisations.
BCSA, now BOPEU, fought for the improvement of workers' conditions of service in the colonial days. BCSA teamed up with the African Advisory Council (AAC) to condemn the way Africans were treated by the then colonial government. The AAC was dominated by the Chiefs and some few educated Batswana. A very strong relationship developed between AAC and BCSA and the two contributed positively in preparing for Botswana's independence. At independence, BCSA had forged a strong relationship with the new government which was dominated by the then members of AAC. In fact some members of BCSA were drafted into senior positions of the new government. The good working relationship between BCSA (now BOPEU) with government therefore dates back to the pre-independence days. And as payback, BOPEU has enjoyed a lot of assistance from government and it has been a tradition since then.
