Botswana listed among violators of workers’ rights

Botswana is among the top worst violators of workers’ rights in its attempt to thwart trade unionism.

The country appears as one of the 41 countries that have systematic violations of workers’ rights according to a 2021 International Trade Union Confederation ( ITUC) report released recently.

Botswana is listed among countries such as Chad, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. The eighth edition of the ITUC Global Rights Index ranks 149 countries on the degree of respect for worker’s rights and the right to establish and join trade union, as well as on the registration of unions, arbitrary arrests and detentions and the denial of freedom of speech and assembly.

In an interview Botswana Federation of Trade Unions ( BFTU) Secretary General Thusang Butale said as an affiliate of ITUC Africa they have been sending their survey reports to the mother- body ( ITUC) regarding workers’ violations ever since the start of COVID- 19 pandemic.

Butale said they are happy that Botswana has been listed among violators of workers’ rights because since the pandemic, they have encountered a high number of dismissals from work by different employers both in the private and public sector. “You can see from the report that we have been graded as one of those countries that have systematic violation of trade union rights.

“If you look at the regulations that were made when the country was placed under six months State of Emergency last year April, they curtail workers’ right to strike.

“This right is one of the powerful tools that workers can use against any employer and by removing it you are completely killing the bargaining power of workers,” Butale cried.

When the country was placed under State of Emergency, several workers decided to take part in industrial action because employers were violating their conditions of work, by cutting down salaries and forcing them to take unpaid leave.

About 100 workers at state owned company, Kromberg & Schubert staged a sit- in last year at the company premises demanding a living wage. Workers at Avani Resort Hotel also did the same last year. The countries were also judged in terms of exploiting workers and withholding vital information about the spread of the COVID- 19 virus in the workplaces.

“Workers have been on the front lines of the global pandemic holding communities together. If governments don’t look after workers with rights and labour protections, workers can’t look after the economy. “The risk to our democracies and economies is too much of a threat for government to ignore,” ITUC General Secretary, Sharan Burrow said in the report.

BFTU Secretary General also said, “If you look at trade union rights, they have been taken away by COVID- 19 regulations. We are not mentioned as one of the societies to convene meetings during this ongoing State of Emergency. “We have raised this issue a couple of times because we have not been able to function as trade unions. Even though some workers are declared essential services, their trade unions are still unable to operate and this gives room for employers to exploit them”. Reached for comment, Umbrella for Democratic Change ( UDC) Labour Secretary, Justin Hunyepa said it is not surprising that Botswana is among countries that have been rated at level four. “Negotiations are not done in good faith. The government always refuses to tell unions the money that it has so they could negotiate with informed positions. “Some companies also refuse to recognise legally registered trade unions and we have seen no action taken against them.

“Labour laws are not respected by the government. We know that at one point half of the civil service was declared essential because government was angered by 2011 public strike,” Hunyepa said. In 2017, BFTU reported Botswana to International Labour Organisation ( ILO) for violating Convections 87 and 98 by refusing to allow Prison Officers to join or form unions. Botswana Democratic Party ( BDP) Chairman for Communications Kagelelo Kentse did not respond to Whatsapp message sent by this reporter but has promised to comment after reading the report.