Rari Speaks As Education International At ILO Conference

In response to the government’s clampdown on workers’ rights, the Botswana Sectors of Education Trade Union(BOSETU) and Education International took their fight to the global stage at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland last week.

“The Trade Disputes Act makes teachers and support staff within the teaching service, and almost the whole economy, an essential service, hence prohibiting them from resorting to a strike action,” said Tobakani Rari, General Secretary of the Botswana Sectors of Education Trade Unions (BOSETU), of the government’s harmful policy. “This undermines the bargaining power of teachers and support staff who are therefore at risk that their working conditions will deteriorate - which will also affect their morale.”

On June 14, Rari  delivered a powerful message on behalf of Education International (EI) at the ILO Conference Committee on Application of Standards during the examination of the case against Botswana for violations of Convention 87. The BOSETU is an affiliate of EI.

Editor's Comment
Human rights are sacred

It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...

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