Forum for improving labour relations proposed

Labour experts in Botswana have called for the urgent establishment of a tripartite forum comprising government, the private sector and trade unionists to address falling productivity and worsening labour relations. In a paper presented to a labour relations workshop in the capital, Gaborone, researchers from the Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) noted that national output was under threat because of frequent strike action, which it said was a result of the hostile relationship between government, employers and the labour movement. The call came as the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) handed a petition to President Festus Mogae to demand the unconditional reinstatement of 461 workers, who were dismissed for taking part in an illegal strike at the diamond-producing Debswana Mine last year. BFTU warned that unless the situation was remedied, it might have to approach the World Diamond Trade Council to classify diamonds originating from the country as "unclean" because of unfair labour practices. The BNPC, an independent labour research institute, also offers training programmes in industrial dispute resolution to workers' unions. BFTU secretary-general Henry Makhale said the union would favour the proposed tripartite labour forum if it meant the opinions of the labour force were taken seriously by the government. "It would be a welcome development, as long as all partners are sincere. At the moment, labour relations are at the lowest because of continuing government arrogance, the slow and complicated methods of the labour dispute resolution process, and the insensitivity of private sector employers. As a result, we spend more time on strikes than production, because there is no credible platform of conflict resolution," Makhale told IRIN. He claimed that the workers not fired from Debswana at the time still faced internal disciplinary hearings for allegedly sabotaging production and inciting disruptive behaviour among their fellows. Two weeks ago the BFTU led private and public service employee unions in demonstrations that culminated in handing over the petition to Mogae's office, which also demanded that a commission of enquiry be set up to discover the "real" reasons behind the labour unrest, particularly in the country's diamond sector. The government has yet to respond to these demands.