In Botswana, 90,000 out of 103,000 government workers are on strike. They are refusing to work because their salaries have not been raised in three years, and they are demanding a 16% increase. The strike started at the beginning of the week when the mediator between the five unions representing civil servants and the Directorate of Public Service Management gave the unions the go-ahead to strike. It is expected to last to last until April 29th. 50 of the workers on strike are Princess Marina Hospital workers in South Afrcia’s capital, Gaborone. This is in addition of hundreds of health workers, including nurses, across Botswana who have been off the job. Many of the people on strike are also teachers. Reporters claim that some schools are closing in the country due to a lack of teachers and cooks, and members of the Botswana defense force are having to fill jobs usually done by immigration officers. The soldiers were deployed to man the borders on Sunday for the duration of the strike. ”This is a clear contravention of strike rules, especially Section 37 of the Trade Dispute Act, which says an employer cannot replace (people) on strike before 14 days elapses,” says Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, secretary general of the Botswana Land Boards Local Authorities and Health Workers Union.” After his leave on Monday, union member do not think President Khama is taking the strike seriously.
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