Gov't policies torment miners – BMWU president
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday December 12, 2023 07:45
He was giving a speech during the official opening of the BMWU congress, which was held on Thursday at the Adansonia Hotel. In his address, Tsimako said they have discovered that deliberate action at the policy level is also necessary to achieve the economic liberation and empowerment of Botswana's mine workers.
Tsimako went on to state that the union has been losing cases as a result of laws and policies that were created without their input, rendering their intervention ineffectual. He said they came to the conclusion that they had to take part in the processes of developing laws and policies to strengthen their position as mine workers.
'This, we could only accomplish first by guaranteeing the BMWU's seats in important and strategic decision-making forums,' he said. 'We have been and continue to demand more in the interests of economic inclusion and participatory democracy.' He further said BMWU finds itself at a crossroads because it supports the National Vision 2036 and the Mind-Set Change Agenda. It is He did, however, point out at the way these national programmes continue to be unfavourable to mine workers.
He continued, 'The union is in favour of economic development that does not impede social development.' He said it is now common cause that government policies are prioritizing investors more than workers. Tsimako stated that this is a policy imperative and it is supported by the national trade, minerals and citizen economic empowerment policies, which are the key instruments for investor impunity in Botswana. He said the regulatory institutions in government and its personnel who are charged with the responsibility of protecting workers are failing workers as they collude with employers and investors. “Some institutions are failing to intervene on behalf of workers because their statutory powers have been curtailed or limited by the higher office,” he added.
Additionally, he said that they understood that there is a need for their country to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). According to the BMWU president, conditions associated with FDI typically include the provision of cheap labour, outsourcing, and stability clauses, which investors and multinational corporations interpret as a green light to exploit workers.
Tsimako disclosed that they have brought up several concerns with the Office of the President and sector ministries regarding the way multinational corporations treat their employees and the terrible practices in the mining sector. He said the treatment of the employees runs contrary to the National Vision's clear call for 'Prosperity for All.' Additionally, he stated that mine workers cannot prosper because there is no job security because a mine could close unexpectedly at any time. Tsimako stated that companies are gradually substituting fixed-term contracts for permanent and pensionable employment.
Furthermore, workers who actively participate in trade unions or who speak up in the workplace are targeted by the same fixed-term contracts. Tsimako asserts that certain managers in multinational corporations lack the authority to decide on matters that impact their employees because those businesses are run by foreign entities.
“We have called for our inclusion in the Mining Sector High Level Consultative Committee where mining sector policies are formulated. We find it rather strange that the export revenue of 92% that the BMWU and its members generate year in and year out for this country is still not sufficient for the Union to be given a seat at the Sector HLCC and even in trade,” he added. Vice President Slumber Tsogwane stated that the government is still concerned about reports of possible workplace abuse, exploitative wages, inadequate health and safety, and negligence of safety in some mines.
“The mining sector plays a critical role in the development of this country, but every care must be made to ensure that such benefits are not derived at the expense of the workforce,” Tsogwane said. He encouraged the unions to create a dynamic bridge between the workers and the democratic process advocating for workers’ wages, working conditions, and protection of their rights. Tsogwane said they should champion policies that foster social justice, peace, and tranquility and fight for the greater common good.