Botswana’s appeal court on Tuesday upheld a ruling declaring a two-week strike by diamond miners illegal, leaving about 400 workers who were sacked during the industrial action with no prospect of being re-hired.
”We won the case and the union lost it with costs,” said Parks Tafa, a lawyer for the Debswana Diamond Company, the world’s leading producer by value of the precious stone.
Botswana, the world’s leading producer of uncut diamonds, has been in the throes of a simmering labour dispute since members of the 6 000-strong labour union went on strike on August 23 to press for better wages and a bonus for the workers.
The unions signed an agreement with Debswana on September 13 agreeing to the company’s offer of a 10% salary increase and a one-off bonus equivalent to 10% of their annual salary.
Tafa said Debswana would press ahead with a separate case against the union leadership for launching the strike in violation of an August 6 ruling by the industrial court declaring the strike illegal.
The Botswana Mine Workers’ Union, which represents 6 000 workers in the four mines did not hide its disappointment with the ruling.
”There is nothing we can say today. We will accept the judgement but we will be talking with our lawyers soon to see what we can do,” said union spokesperson Chimbidzani Chimbidza.
He said that the union would meet with the sacked workers during the day to discuss the ruling and added that union leaders was prepared for court action against them.
”If they want to take us to prison, they can go ahead and do whatever they want, but the struggle continues because in every war, there are always casualties,” said Chimbidza. – Sapa-AFP