Government 'fires' striking doctors

Government has purported to fire all striking essential services workers, among them doctors, nurses, and pharmacy technicians, after they refused to heed its ultimatum to resume duties.

However the workers have not received letters of dismissal as government says the letters will be ready in five days, according to a Btv news bulletin.

Last week government ordered essential services workers to resume duties or face dismissal, among them were doctors who downed stethoscopes in demand for a 16% pay rise and better working conditions. The warning followed a court ruling that the workers should not be on strike. The workers have through the Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU), appealed the decision of the Industrial Court. The essential services workers have however insisted that they will not resume duties.

DPSM director Festinah Bakwena has said she is not aware of this development. "However I have been on leave and there is someone who is acting," she said. Asked how government would raise enough money to pay the workers' terminal benefits since it has said it does not have money, Bakwena preferred not to comment.

BOFEPUSU publicity secretary Goretse Kekgonegile said that the union conglomerate is unfazed by the state's 'intimidation tactics'. "As far as our labour laws are concerned, there is a set process for dismissals. A person has to be called to a disciplinary hearing, and the disciplinary process followed. Our members have not been called to any hearing. We are only hearing this from radio and television. We take this as intimidation by government and don't take the announcement seriously. However if government is serious we will protect our members. If this is a political decision, and it appears to be, we will find a political situation to it," said Kekgonegile who added that the workers numbered several hundred. Kekgonegile said that government was making the situation worse as now public service employees who have not been on strike are likely to realise that government takes them for granted.

"Those essential services workers who have been going to work, and indeed the non-essential workers are likely to now go on strike because they will not want government to take their professions and lives for granted." The employment Act lists essential services as those in health such as doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, pharmacy technicians, switchboard operators, those in water services such as pumpers, borehole engineers; those in electrical services such as refrigeration engineers, boilermakers and mechanics; sewerage engineers and technicians and firemen and paramedics.