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15 July, 2005
Progress was made 10 September in negotiations between the Botswana Mining Workers’ Union (BMWU) and Debswana, the diamond mining operation in the southern African nation. The two sides agreed to a 10% wage hike for 6,000 miners that is retroactive to 1 April 2004, plus a maximum 10% production bonus for 2004-05 with a minimum of BWP 3,500 (US$790).
In a separate and thornier issue—the fate of some 500 strikers— Debswana has agreed to reinstate 100 and continue dialogue on the remaining. BMWU Gen. Sec. Donald Lebotse termed this second set of face-to-face negotiations in the six-week dispute “positive engagement” and said the firm, a joint venture between DeBeers and the government, has agreed to void the housing eviction notices for all those who were fired while the dialogue continues.