Mineworkers poised for another strike

Labour unrest is still simmering in Botswana as mineworkers threaten another round of industrial action if diamond producer Debswana does not reinstate employees fired for participating in a strike that ended three weeks ago. Members of the Botswana Mine Workers' Union (BMWU) went on a two-week strike at Debswana's four diamond mines on 23 August, demanding a 16 percent salary hike across the board and a bonus equivalent to 25 percent of annual salary. The strike was called off three weeks ago after the company offered a 10 percent salary hike and a bonus equivalent to 10 percent of an employee's annual salary. However, the BMWU is demanding the reinstatement of union bosses and other support staff singled out as ringleaders and fired without benefits. According to BMWU chairman Chimbidzani Chimidza, about 500 workers lost their jobs over the strike action against the company, which is jointly owned by De Beers and the Botswana government. BMWU said it did not recognise the new salary agreement because they had only accepted it on the condition that all the workers who participated in the strike would not be fired. "Management's interests were centred [on] wage and salary negotiations only, and they said they would not negotiate the fate of the dismissed employees unless we signed the salary agreement they were offering ... but management has reneged on that and, as a union, we have decided not to recognise the agreement and press on with the demand for the reinstatement of our dismissed colleagues," BMWU chairman Chimbidzani Chimidza told IRIN. He said they were willing to resort to further industrial action to push for the reinstatement of the sacked miners. However, Debswana employee relations manager Jacob Sesinyi said the company would not reverse the dismissals. He said the company reserved the right to take disciplinary action against any employee who engaged in acts of misconduct. "The workers in question breached not only their employment contracts but a number of collective agreements. They endangered general production and the safety and health of other workers. We reserve the right to take disciplinary action against any employee and that is what we did. The BMWU should also remember that the labour court that sat on 6 August ruled that the strike action was illegal," Sesinyi said. Meanwhile, Botswana's appeal court is expected to rule on Tuesday on a plea by the union, challenging the labour court order. Diamond mining is the backbone of Botswana's economy. According to Debswana's website, the company accounts for more than 70 percent of exports, half of government revenue and 30 percent of the gross domestic product.