Six former employees of a diamond cutting and polishing company who are convinced that they were retrenched because of their union membership have resorted to the Ombudsman after the Minister of Labour allegedly undertook to intervene but did not
GAZETTE REPORTER
As the protracted conflict between the diamond cutting and polishing industry and the Botswana Diamond Workers Union (BDWU) intensifies further, employees have accused companies of purging union members.
Barely two months after BDWU urged the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs to act against companies refusing to recognise the union, Venus Jewel Botswana has been accused of retrenching employees due to their union affiliation.
A 2023 inspection report by the Department of Labour and Social Security had corroborated the employees’ claims, stating that companies in the diamond cutting and polishing industry have historically resisted engaging with trade unions.
Intervention
Six former employees of Venus Jewel have now written to the Ombudsman, the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs and BDWU seeking an investigation into what they call unlawful and unfair retrenchments.
The Botswana Gazette has intercepted a letter in which the affected employees argue that their retrenchment directly violates their rights.
“We are writing to formally request the intervention of the Ombudsman’s office regarding a matter of unlawful and unfair retrenchment that occurred at Venus Jewel Botswana,” the employees wrote.
Constitution of Botswana
“We were recently retrenched under circumstances we believe violate our rights and protections under the Constitution of Botswana.”
According to the employees, they were retrenched last week, just three months after labour minister Pius Mokgware promised to resolve the dispute between BDWU and the diamond cutting and polishing industry.
“We understand that it is illegal to dismiss employees based on their participation in a union, as it is a right protected under the Constitution of Botswana,” the employees wrote.
Discriminatory and retaliatory
“Therefore, we believe our retrenchment was not only unlawful but also discriminatory and retaliatory in nature.”
The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs has yet to act decisively on the matter despite previously undertaking to do so. Frustrated by what they perceive as inaction, the employees, are now calling on the Ombudsman to intervene.
“We have yet to receive a satisfactory response to our claims,” they wrote. “As a result, we are now seeking the Ombudsman’s assistance in investigating this matter thoroughly and ensuring that our rights are protected.
Escalated
The Chairman of BDWU, Dominic Mapoka, has confirmed being briefed by the affected employees and criticised the diamond cutting and polishing industry for its continued disregard of unions.
“We have since escalated this issue to the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs to intervene,” said Mapoka.
However, he noted that the minister has yet to respond to their concerns, which have remained unresolved for an extended period of time.