Botswana diamond strike continues

GABORONE – Diamond miners in Botswana pressed on with a strike over wages yesterday, despite contempt of court charges hanging over union leaders after the action was declared illegal.

Mine operator Debswana said the strike by around a quarter of the 5 000 workforce had not affected overall production at the country’s mines, which produce a third of the world’s gem quality diamonds. Botswana Mining Workers Union (BMWU) General Secretary Donald Lobotse told Reuters that 10 union leaders from each of three mines affected by the strike were due to appear yesterday afternoon to face charges of contempt of court.”Branch leaders were served with notices during the night at their homes in Jwaneng, Orapa and Letlhakane,” Lobotse said.Orapa is the world’s biggest diamond mine, while Jwaneng is the richest, thanks to its high-quality gems.Talks deadlocked in July.The BMWU was demanding a 16 per cent increase in the cost of living allowance plus 25 per cent of annual salary as a one-off production bonus.Debswana offered a 10 per cent allowance, plus a production bonus of five per cent of annual salary, which it raised to 10 per cent after President Festus Mogae intervened personally on July 30.Lobotse said the BMWU would return to the negotiating table if Debswana dropped its insistence that its offer is final.”There has still been no response to our offer on Monday to reopen talks at the point where they deadlocked,” Lobotse said.A court ruled on August 6 that any strike would be illegal.Debswana’s human resources manager Jacob Sesinyi reiterated on Tuesday that overall production had not yet been affected by the strike, saying a full production report would be issued later.Buffer stocks of ore held at the mines mean production can be maintained for a period even if mining activity is reduced.Sesinyi said around 1 300 miners had failed to turn up for shifts on Sunday night and Monday morning.He said output at the three main mines had continued as normal, although Debswana had closed a smaller mine, Damtshaa, which produces just 250 000 carats out of Debswana’s annual three million carat output, to reassign workers elsewhere.Diamonds are the mainstay of Botswana’s economy, accounting for the vast majority of export revenues, around a third of gross domestic product and nearly half of government revenues.-Nampa-ReutersBotswana Mining Workers Union (BMWU) General Secretary Donald Lobotse told Reuters that 10 union leaders from each of three mines affected by the strike were due to appear yesterday afternoon to face charges of contempt of court.”Branch leaders were served with notices during the night at their homes in Jwaneng, Orapa and Letlhakane,” Lobotse said.Orapa is the world’s biggest diamond mine, while Jwaneng is the richest, thanks to its high-quality gems.Talks deadlocked in July.The BMWU was demanding a 16 per cent increase in the cost of living allowance plus 25 per cent of annual salary as a one-off production bonus.Debswana offered a 10 per cent allowance, plus a production bonus of five per cent of annual salary, which it raised to 10 per cent after President Festus Mogae intervened personally on July 30.Lobotse said the BMWU would return to the negotiating table if Debswana dropped its insistence that its offer is final.”There has still been no response to our offer on Monday to reopen talks at the point where they deadlocked,” Lobotse said.A court ruled on August 6 that any strike would be illegal.Debswana’s human resources manager Jacob Sesinyi reiterated on Tuesday that overall production had not yet been affected by the strike, saying a full production report would be issued later.Buffer stocks of ore held at the mines mean production can be maintained for a period even if mining activity is reduced.Sesinyi said around 1 300 miners had failed to turn up for shifts on Sunday night and Monday morning.He said output at the three main mines had continued as normal, although Debswana had closed a smaller mine, Damtshaa, which produces just 250 000 carats out of Debswana’s annual three million carat output, to reassign workers elsewhere.Diamonds are the mainstay of Botswana’s economy, accounting for the vast majority of export revenues, around a third of gross domestic product and nearly half of government revenues.-Nampa-Reuters