10 Dec 2017

Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo has urged Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) to be part of the solutions to challenges facing the country.

Speaking at BOPEU’s central executive committee meeting in Palapye recently, Mr Mabeo said the country was confronted by numerous challenges such as slow economic growth, unemployment, low productivity and poverty.

He said government alone could not deliver on all the challenges to the satisfaction of the nation, adding that the challenges required action not only from government, but also from Batswana and institutions such as trade unions.

Due to limited resources, he said the road ahead required prioritisation and sacrifices, encouraging trade unions to be part of the solution to the challenges facing the country.

Mr Mabeo, who is also the MP for Thamaga constituency, said government was committed to the promotion of workers’ rights. The engagement of International Labour Organisation (ILO) with member countries on compliance with ILO conventions is nothing new,” he said.

He said government willingly ratified the ILO convention because of its commitment to promoting workers’ rights.

He added that in the process of implementing the conventions member states did encounter challenges, and that some of them had to do with the interpretation of the provisions of the conventions. 

“The engagement with ILO is a healthy engagement which is intended to enhance compliance with ILO conventions,” he added.

He said the government’s relationship with the union, although oppositional at times, required that the two work together for the good of the public service employees.

He added that productivity engagement required thoughtfulness, sensitivity and ethical behaviour, adding that sometimes conflict was provoked by substantive issues.

“Let us engage each other on substantive issues with the necessary respect and botho that we promote as nation,” said Mr Mabeo,

He commended BOPEU for celebrating 10 years of its existence, saying the union was progressive and willing to engage government on issues affecting members.

He also praised BOPEU for being true to its mission for the past 10 years of its existence.

For her part, BOPEU president, Ms Masego Mogwera said the lack of a structure or platform where trade unions could bargain on behalf of its members was a drawback.

He called on all stakeholders to normalise the situation by creating effective and efficient bargaining structures which were anchored on social dialogue, mutual respect, tolerance and the advancement of workers’ welfare.

She said the Trade Dispute Act and the Public Service Bill were a threat to workers rights and freedom.

“These pieces of legislation are anti-progressive and undermine Botswana’s obligations under various ILO conventions,” said Ms Mogwera.

She said BOPEU would continue to lobby for the repealing of all draconian labour legislation, and to ensure that government complied with the spirit of the ILO conventions without failure.

In addition, Ms Mogwera implored BOPEU members to be vigilant of external forces and unscrupulous people who caused divisions and factions within the union for their own selfish agendas.

“As members of BOPEU we must guard against being used by such external forces to be agents of divisions and factionalism,” she said.

She said members of BOPEU should be agents of unity and harmony. ENDS