14 Feb 2021

Minister of Employment, Labour Relations and Skills Development, Mr Mpho Balopi says Labour Laws Review Committee has been formed to address gaps in the local Acts.

Answering a question in Parliament on Friday, the minister said the committee was made up of employers, unions and government representatives.

The ministry according to Mr Balopi would review the Employment Act, Trade Dispute Act, Trade Unions and Employers Organizations Act and the Public Service Act.

He said the objective of the review was to address gaps in the Acts, facilitate doing business, incorporate the decisions of the courts into the laws and align the Acts with the provision of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions that Botswana has ratified.

Mr Balopi said they were assisted by the ILO consultants and a Bill was expected to be presented before Parliament in July.

He further said retrenchments were catered for in the Codes of Good Practice published in 2008.

While the law does not provide for union representation, employers are encouraged to recognise representatives selected among its employees during consultations.

Mr Balopi said this was in line with Decent Work Programme, adding that employers had been encouraged to form committees where there were no unions.

The Employment Act does not require employees to give reasons for termination of contract of employment during probationary period.

This, he said, was among the issues addressed by the review committee.

He further said there was need to regulate short and long term contracts, adding this was also being addressed by the committee. Ends