A Critique of Botswana's Trade Disputes Act, 2016: the Case for Reform
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A critique of Botswana's Trade Disputes Act, 2016: the case for reform N Morima G) orcid.org/o·ooo-0002-6614-0589 Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Laws with Mercantile Law at the North-West University Supervisor: Prof ML Mbao LIBRARY MAF l:<ENG CAMPUS I Co-supervisor: Mr RWM Nkhumise CALL N0,1 2020 -03- I 7 Graduation ceremony: November 2019 •cc.NO-, NORTH-WEST Student number: 28794 788 u,� ._, �VL:L��»TY I TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents ................................................................................................... i List of tables .............................. ............................................................ ... ...... .... vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........... ..................................................... ................... viii DEDICATION ........................................................................................................ ix CANDIDATE'S DECLARATION ........................................................................... x DECLARATION BY SUPERVISOR ...................................................................... xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ....... .. ............................................. ........................... xii ABSTRACT ........................... ............................................................................. xvii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1 1. 1 Background to the study ... ... .................... ... ..... .. ........ .. .. ....... ... ........ .. ........... 1 1. 2 Problem statement... .. ....... ... ... .... ....... ....... .... ....... ..... .............................. 10 - 1. 3 Aims and objectives of the study ...... .. .. ........ ..... .... ..... ...... ... ... ................. 11 1.3.1 Aim of the study ....................... .............. ... ... ....... ... .... ........................ 11 1.3.2 Objectives of the study ...... .. ..... ................... ......... ...... ..... ................... 12 1.4 Rational and justification of the study .... .. .... ...... .. ... .. .... ......................... .. 12 1.5 Literature review .......... .. ....... ..... ... .... .. : ....... ..... ......... ..... ... ................. ..... 13 1. 6 Data collection and research methodology .... ........ ......... .. ...................... 14 1.7 Scope and limitations of the study ........ .. ..... ......... ....... ...... ........ ..... ........ 15 1. 7. 1 Scope of the Study ..... ... ........ ................... ..... .... ................................. .. 15 1. 7. 2 Limitations of the Study ....... ..... .. .. ............. .... ....... .. ... ......... .. ...... ...... .... 15 1. 8 Technical terms defined ... ..... ................................... ............................... 15 1. 8. 1 Trade dispute ......................................... ............ .. ..................... .. ....... .. 15 1.8.2 Dispute of right ...................... .. .......................................... ... ........ .. ...... 16 1. 8. 3 Dispute of interest ... ................................. .. .......................................... 17 1.8.4 Mediation .. ....... .. .... ..... ....... ...... .... ..... ............... ................. ....... ..... ...... 17 1. 8.5 Conciliation ... ............ ... ... ... ... ...... ..... ..... ...... .. ........ .. ............................ 17 1. 8. 6 Arbitration .... ..... .................. ........ ........ .................................................. 17 1.8.7 Industrial action .. ............................ .. .. .... ....... ......................... .... ... ....... 18 1.8.8 Strike .. ...... .. ......... ............... ... .. ....... ..... ......... ... ................... .................. 19 1.8.9 Lock-out .. ........................... .. .. .. ... ....... ....................... ....... .... ................ 19 1. 8. 10Action short of a strike ....................... ........................................... ... .... 19 1. 8. 11 Litigation .................... ..... ......................................... .. .................... ... ... 19 1. 8. 12Trade dispute resolution framework ... ... .... ....................... ... .. ........ ... .... 20 1. 8. 13 Labour Relations ............................ ............................ .... .... ... .............. 20 1. 8. 14 Effective trade dispute resolution ................................................ .. ..... 20 1. 8. 15 Essential services ..... .............. ..... ......... ............... .. ... ....... ................... 21 1.9 Summary ................... .. .................................. ... ..... ....... ..... .. ..... ............... 21 1.10 Framework of the study ................ ... ... .... ... .............................................. 21 CHAPTER TWO: BOTSWANA'S TRADE DISPUTE RESOLUTION FRAMEWORK ..................................................................................................... 22 2. 1 Introduction ........................................................................................ ..... 22 2.2 Mediation ..... ..... .... ..... ........ ........ ..... ...... .... .. .. .. .... .. ....... ... .. ... .... ... ............. 22 2.3 Arbitration ..... ...... ..... ... ...... ................. .... .......... ..... ... .................. .. ... ......... 25 2. 3. 1 Jurisdiction of arbitrators ......... .. .................. ... .. ...................... .... .... ....... 25 2. 3. 2 Arbitration awards ................................................................................ 26 2.3.3 Appeals against arbitration awards ....... ....................................... ........ 27 2.3.4 Referrals to the Industrial Court ... .. ........................................ .............. 28 2.4 Industrial Action .. ......... .... ................... .. ........... .. .................. .... ................ 28 2.4.1 Protected strikes or lock-outs ............................... .................. .............. 28 2.4.2 Unprotected strikes or lock-outs ..... ............................... .. ......... .. .......... 29 2.5 Litigation at the Industrial Court ................. .. ......... ... .................. ........ ...... 30 2.5.1 Origins of the Industrial Court ... ................................................. .......... 30 2.5.2 The Industrial Court's jurisdiction .......................... ............... ................ 31 2.5.3 Appointment of Industrial Court judges and nominated members ........ 33 2.5.4 Tenure of office of Industrial Court judges ........ ............. .. ..... .... .. ... ..... 33 2.5.5 Removal of Industrial Court judges .... .... ................................. ...... .... ... 34 2. 6 Summary ..... ..... .... .. ...... ... .. ... ..... ...... ....... ........... .. ....... .... ..... ...... ... .. ........ .... 34 CHAPTER THREE: BOTSWANA AND INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION (ILO) CONVENTIONS ............................................................. 35 3. 1 Introduction ... ........ ... ... ...... ... .... ... .. ..... ........ .......... ..... ... .. ... ..... ................. 35 3.2 The International Labour Organisation (!LO) .. .. ..... .. .... .... ........ ......... .... ... 35 3.3 /LO Conventions and recommendations .... ...... .. ... ...... ..... .... ...... .. ... ........ 35 3.3.1 Fundamental Conventions ........................ .... ............ ... .. ...... .. ........ ...... 37 3.3.2 Governance (priority) Conventions ..... ........ ..... .. ............ ... ..... ..... ..... .. .. 37 3.3.3 Technical Conventions .. ..... .... .. .. .... ....... .. ......... .. ......... ....... ........ .... ..... 38 3.4 Botswana and /LO Conventions ... ...... ... .......... ..................... ..... .. ..... .... ... 38 3.4.1 /LO Conventions ratified by Botswana ........ .... .... ... .. .. .... ....... .... ........... 38 3.4.2 /LO Conventions not ratified by Botswana ........ .... .... ..... ... ... ..... .... .. ..... 40 3.4.3 Botswana's domestication of selected /LO Conventions ..... .. ............... 40 3.4.3.1 Freedom of association, collective bargaining and industrial relations ····· ········ ··········· ··· ··········· ·· ···· ······· ·· ·· ·· ········ ··· ····· ·············· ····· ······· ·· ········· ····· 41 3.4.3.2 Equality of opportunity and treatment ... .... ... .... .. ....... ...................... 41 3.4.3.3 Employment security and termination of employment ........... .. ..... .. 42 3.4.4 Botswana 's compliance with International Labour Organisations (ILO)'s Conventions .......... ... .... ...... .... ... ..... .... .. ....... .. ... ... ........ ...... .. ..... ........... .. .... ... .. 42 3.4.4.1 The Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions & Recommendations(CEACR) .... .. ...... ... ... ......... ... .... ........ .. ... ... ........ ............. 43 3.4.4.2 Periodic reports ... .... .... ...... .. .. ... .. ... .............. .... .. ..... ...... .... ......... .. .. 43 3.4.4.3 Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention , 1958 (No. 111) - Botswana (Ratification: 1997) ... .... ... ...... ..... .. ... .... ...... .. .. .......... 44 3.4.4.4 Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention, 1978 (No. 151) - Botswana (Ratification: 1997) ... ... ... .... ........ ..... .. ............ .. .... ..... .. ... ........ ..... 45 3.4.4.5 Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) - Botswana (Ratification: 1997) .. ... .. .. .......