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The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation which read as follows:
The Committee notes the Trade Union and Employers’ Organizations (TUEO) (Amendment) Act, 2003, and the Trade Disputes (Amendment) Act, 2004.
Article 1 of the Convention. The Committee had noted that the TUEO Act had been amended and now includes the “public officers”, including the unified local government service and the unified teaching service. However, the Committee noted that the Botswana prison service is still excluded from the scope of the Public Service Act, the TUEO Act and the Trade Disputes Act. The Committee also noted the Government’s statement that the Botswana prison service has been determined by national laws and regulations to be providing a security service. In this respect, the Committee recalled that under Article 1, only the police, the armed forces, high‑level employees, whose functions are normally considered as policy-making or managerial, and employees whose duties are of a highly confidential nature, may be excluded from the scope of the Convention. Accordingly, the Committee requests the Government to amend section 2 of the Trade Union and Employers’ Organizations (TUEO) (Amendments) Act, 2003, section 2 of the Trade Disputes Act, and section 35 of the Prisons Act so as to guarantee for the prison service the rights enshrined in the Convention.
Article 5. The Committee notes that the current legislation does not provide adequate protection to public employees’ organizations from acts of interference by the public authorities in their establishment, functioning or administration. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the Public Service Act is being reviewed and consideration will be given to the Committee’s comments. Therefore, the Committee requests the Government to ensure that draft legislation contains precise provisions providing adequate protection to public employees’ organizations from acts of interference by the public authorities in their establishment, functioning or administration.
The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the near future.
The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat the points raised in its previous observation:
The Committee notes the Government’s report. The Committee notes the Trade Unions and Employers’ Organizations (TUEO) (Amendment) Act, 2003 and the Trade Disputes (Amendment) Act, 2004.
1. Article 1 of the Convention. The Committee notes with interest that the TUEO Act has been amended and now includes the "public officers", including the unified local government service and the unified teaching service. However, the Committee notes that the Botswana prison service is still excluded from the scope of the Public Service Act, the TUEO Act and the Trade Disputes Act. The Committee also notes the Government’s statement that the Botswana prison service has been determined by national laws and regulations to be providing a security service. In this respect, the Committee would once again recall that under Article 1, only the police, the armed forces, high-level employees, whose functions are normally considered as policy-making or managerial, and employees whose duties are of a highly confidential nature, may be excluded from the scope of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide the national laws and regulations which cover the Botswana prison service.
2. Article 5. The Committee notes that the current legislation provides adequate protection to public employees’ organizations from acts of interference by the public authorities in their establishment, functioning or administration. The Committee notes that according to the Government, the Public Service Act is being reviewed and consideration will be given to the Committee’s comments. Therefore, the Committee requests the Government to ensure that draft legislation contains precise provisions providing adequate protection to public employees’ organizations from acts of interference by the public authorities in their establishment, functioning or administration.
3. Article 6. The Committee notes that new sections 48(B) and 48(C) of the TUEO Act now provides for organizational rights of recognized trade unions. Among other things, authorized representatives of the trade union have access to employer’s premises for purposes of recruiting members, holding meetings, representing members and for deduction of trade union dues.
4. Article 8. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the Trade Disputes Act establishing procedures for the settlement of trade disputes has been amended and now ensures that disputes arising in connection with the determination of terms and conditions of employment for permanent and pensionable public servants may be settled through negotiation between the parties concerned or through independent and impartial machinery such as mediation and arbitration.
The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:
1. Article 1 of the Convention. The Committee notes that the Botswana Prison Service, the Unified Local Government Service and the Unified Teaching Service are excluded from the scope of the Public Service Act. The Committee also notes the Government’s statement that other Acts are applicable to these categories of public servants. In this respect, the Committee would recall that under Article 1, only the police, the armed forces, high-level employees whose functions are normally considered as policy-making or managerial and employees whose duties are of a highly confidential nature may be excluded from the scope of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to indicate how the Convention is applied to the Botswana Prison Service, the Unified Local Government Service and the Unified Teaching Service.
2. Articles 4 and 5. The Committee notes that the current legislation does not protect public employees against acts of anti-union discrimination in respect of their employment or provide adequate protection to public employees’ organizations from acts of interference by the public authorities in their establishment, functioning or administration. The Committee notes that according to the Government, legislative amendments are in progress in this regard. The Committee requests the Government to ensure that draft legislation guarantees public employees adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination in respect of their employment and contains precise provisions providing adequate protection to public employees’ organizations from acts of interference by the public authorities in their establishment, functioning or administration.
3. Article 6. The Committee notes that current legislation does not provide that facilities be afforded to representatives of recognized public employees’ organizations to enable them to carry out functions promptly and efficiently, both during and outside their hours of work. The Committee also notes that according to the Government, legislative amendments are in progress in this regard. The Committee requests the Government to ensure that draft legislation guarantees that facilities be afforded to representatives of recognized public employees’ organizations to enable them to carry out functions promptly and efficiently, both during and outside their hours of work.
4. Article 8. The Committee notes that the legislation establishes a procedure for the settlement of all trade disputes involving industrial class employees but this procedure does not apply to permanent and pensionable public servants. The Committee requests the Government to amend its legislation to ensure that disputes arising in connection with the determination of terms and conditions of employment for permanent and pensionable public servants may be settled through negotiation between the parties concerned or through independent and impartial machinery such as mediation, conciliation and arbitration.
The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its first report. The Committee would draw the Government’s attention to the following points.