There is no doubt that the recent amendment to the Public Service Act primarily targets the three-union fraternity of the Trainers and Allied Workers Union (TAWU), Botswana Government Workers Union (BOGOWU), and Botswana Doctors’ Union (BDU). However, in a broader sense, many more workers stand to be disenfranchised because not all unions meet the new numerical thresholds set by the amended law.
This message was at the forefront during the launch of the Campaign Against Union Bashing, Discrimination, and Disenfranchisement on February 1, 2025, at Bontleng Mall in Gaborone. Speakers from various unions highlighted that the amendments threaten the rights of minority unions and workers across different sectors.
Cde Kaboda Phillip, BOGOWU’s Secretary General, illustrated this point by citing two groups still far from meeting the new membership requirements: medical doctors, represented by BDU, and senior police officers holding the rank of superintendent. Historically, doctors have always been few in number, and nothing suggests their situation will improve soon. Similarly, Cde Wilson Siako, BOGOWU’s Deputy Secretary General, highlighted university professors in the civil service as another group at risk of exclusion.
The Campaign Against Union Bashing aims to go beyond just the Bargaining Council, emphasizing that the government’s actions could undermine the labor rights of workers without union protection. Cde Allan Keitseng, President of TAWU, warned that if the government can threaten the rights of organized workers, it can easily disregard the rights of workers elsewhere, including those in shops, tuckshops, and homes.
He emphasized the importance of education, saying, “We are embarking on a campaign to protect the labor rights of all workers everywhere—so they can understand and effectively use those rights to safeguard themselves at work.” Cde Siako reiterated that the campaign will focus on sensitizing workers nationwide about their rights and responsibilities, especially in contexts where they lack a platform to bargain or voice grievances.
He explained that the campaign is forward-looking, aiming to protect both current and future workers, emphasizing that “Injustice to one is injustice to all.” The initiative also included an open question session, allowing members of the public to ask about their rights as workers. One such participant, a man from Pandamatenga, who was visiting Gaborone, raised a concern about the exploitation of young Batswana women working in Chinese-owned stores at Bontleng Mall—highlighting the ongoing issues faced by vulnerable workers.
