25 Jul 2013

The newly established National Union for Botswana Artists (NUBA) will formalise the arts industry in Botswana to ensure artist’s self-sustainability.

Founder and president of NUBA, Taolo Moshaga said in an interview that the union intended to improve the levels of professionalism in the country’s artistic world. NUBA’s mandate was to treat artists of all disciplines, be it visual or performing artists as employers and employees.

Moshaga said artists were employed in an informal way, where there were no employment contracts, working conditions, no guaranteed benefits and work security among others, hence NUBA intending to address all the issues.

He noted that because of the status quo, they saw it fit to use the Trade Unions and Employees Organisation Act, Chapter 48:1 of the constitution as proof that artists had the constitutional right to be engaged in contractual agreements with their employers and employees.

Furthermore, Moshaga said NUBA advocated for artists to be paid well and fairly and for their artistic business to have security and insurance. The new union, approved by Registrar of Companies, would employ people who had been trained in specific fields such as finance, consultancy, accounting, business and business management and planning among others.

NUBA aimed to represent employees on labour matters including the scope of negotiation, collective bargaining, the enforcement of collective agreements and health and safety standards and the safeguarding of human rights.

The union also aims at developing effective and strategic operational methods and systems with all relevant constitutional bodies, regarding laws and to advocate for strategic implementation of copyrights and intellectual properties of artists.

NUBA will also cooperate with other labour unions and other organisations with similar objectives in strengthening the Botswana labour union movement as a means towards advancing the interests and improving the well-being of workers locally, regionally and internationally.

On the other hand, Moshaga, a businessman and former BOMU president said artists should expect strategic approaches guided by NUBA’s constitution and the situational analysis of the arts industry in Botswana.

He however noted that the idea for now was to educate potential members and public about NUBA, so that they understand what it is all about. He also said as NUBA, they intend to embark on an educational campaign countrywide at the same time registering members.

Nonetheless, Moshaga, also a musician, said a lot of artists were excited by NUBA’s existence while admitting that it was not going to be an easy thing to achieve NUBA’s goal since there are many challenges in the arts industry.

“NUBA from members will be expecting full participation, focus and passion and basically NUBA without full participation of the members is just a constitution,” said the founder.

However, Moshaga advised all potential members to persuade their employers to provide them with employment contracts and working conditions and also artists to register with COSBOTS since it is an important stakeholder to NUBA.ENDS