After the collapse of numerous efforts to reach some agreement with management, the Botswana Diamond Sorters and Valuators Union (BDSVU) last Friday took to the streets, petitioning the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, noting poor working conditions and the debilitating wages amid escalating commodity prices.
For quite some time now, the BDSVU and the Diamond Trading Centre Botswana have been at each other’s throats over the issues with no tangible results coming to the fore, prompting the Union to approach Kedikilwe.
Although Kedikilwe did not receive the petition because of his tight schedule as Acting Vice President, his deputy secretary received the petition, promising to deliver the appeal.
“As you might be aware, for quite some time now we have been fighting and negotiating with the management but to no avail and this time around we found this petition appropriate to bring our miseries to the attention of higher authorities,” said Jacob Mpasopi, the BDSVU General Secretary.
He continued: “Government’s initial plan in giving worker’s permits to expatriates was for them to impart skills to local workers and once that is accomplished, the expatriate has to pass the position to the local worker identified but this is not happening in the diamond cutting and polishing industry,” the petition read in part, adding that about 95 percent of local workers are well trained in cutting and polishing and are ready to take supervisory positions but are denied that opportunity as more expatriate supervisors, most them not competent compared to local workers, are being brought into “our companies to train us”.
“These local workers end up teaching these expatriates the work,” the petition further added, demanding to know the reasons for employing incompetent expatriates while talent is abundant locally.
They said that disciplinary action, including the issuance of warning letters, is the order of the day “with workers not afforded the opportunity to defend themselves – a development which has brought about fear and vulnerability amongst the workers as the management could dismiss them anytime they feel”.
The union also pleads with government to nudge the management over the dangers posed to workers who consistently handle harmful chemicals.
Also disheartening, they said, is the disappearance of diamonds at the centers with the workers always being accused of stealing the precious stones.
“Some diamonds that went missing were not reported and this cost some employees their jobs with the management doing its own investigations without involving the relevant authorities, resulting in biased decisions,” the document further revealed.
With the cost of living continuing to spiral upwards, the union laments the paltry P700 a month they earn, arguing the amount is far below the required standard to develop and empower a person or eradicate poverty.
“Due to the nature of diamond cutting and polishing industry and profits made, we request the government to review the minimum wage and include benefits, such as housing allowance, medical aid for both the worker and his children, pension fund and funeral schemes,” concluded the petition, calling for a “living wage for polishers”.
