01 May 2019

The President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, says negotiations to improve the conditions of service for public servants will be finalised by June this year.

Speaking during Labour Day in Francistown  May 1, Dr Masisi also underscored the need to resuscitate the bargaining council, adding that progress had been made in developing a constitution for the council.

He stated that “Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) manifesto states that the party will champion the worker’s rights in the work place and will introduce bargaining collective legislative and sectoral pay increase”.

Government, he said, was committed to improving the conditions of workers.

He said the country’s labour administration system was built on a solid foundation of social dialogue and progress was attributable to the commitment of government, employers and workers.

He said one of his priorities was to fight unemployment to enhance the social economic development of the country and good living.

“Therefore, our focus is on promoting entrepreneurship and making the economy much more diversified and further intensify skills development in order to enhance employability of trainees and promoting harmonious labour relations,” he said.

Furthermore, President Masisi stated that there was need to review labour laws, while engaging labour movements in addressing social development issues.

He said government was committed in engaging with workers and employers to  create appropriate environment for the realisation of this objective.

He said government was working on review of the minimum wage to help workers cope with the ever changing cost of living.

The President noted that government had adopted measures that would contribute to the diversification of the economy such as implementation of the clustered development strategy.

He said labour representation would be part of his government transformation deal in which workers would be represented, adding that the labour movement had played a pivotal role in development.

The Labour Day also marked the launch of the workers’ manifesto. ENDS