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Public Sector strike hurts the poor

Patients and school children are emerging as the biggest losers from a strike by Public Service Workers in Botswana which is entering the sixth week. Close to $100,000$ public servants including about $1,500$ considered essential workers, are staying away from their posts while Government and Unions tussle over salaries. Medical Practitioners have disregarded warnings by the Botswana Health Professions Council to go back to work or risk being deregisteredwith the result that major health centres like Ngangabwe Referral Hospital in Francistown and Princess Marina Hospital in the capital, Gaborone, are barely functioning and small clinics have completely closed.

Maria Bogadi, $24,$ is expecting her second child any day and is unsure where to go when her labour pains begins. Bogadi and her husband usually survive on small income they receive doing casual labour at public facilities through Government initiative called $$Ipelegeng$$ which provide limited employment. This therefore means Bogadi cannot afford private clinic since it$$s expensive.

Winfred Rasina, an activist from the opposition Botswana Movement for Democracy, told IRIN the poor and the marginalised had been hardest hit by the disruption of public services. $$The projects meant for the poor such as $$Ipelegeng$$ are at a standstill because staff...are on strike,$$ she told IRIN. Rasina added that that the rich and the idle classes were less affected because they were not dependent on Government hand$-$outs and mostly used private schools and Doctors.

The Minister of Education closed all public schools indefinitely. When the Strike action started on the $18$th April, it was meant to last $10$ days, but the Government said it could not afford Unions$$ demand for $16$ percent wage increase and offered $5$ percent. The figure has now been revised to $3$ percent.

The Botswana Centre for Human Rights $($Ditshwanelo$)$ released a statement noting that the stalemate between Government Officials and Union Leaders had already led to the loss of lives due to the absence of adequate medical staff at health facilities. The Botswana Confederation of Coerce, Industry and manpower $($BOCCIM$)-($now Business Botswana$-$BB$)$ said the protracted strike had also had a negative impact on the economy, causing serious cash flow problems for many companies that relied on Government orders for goods and services. Some members indicated that they may close their shop within a month if the situation does not subside.

Source: TNH

Posted: $25$ May $2011$