Precarious working conditions of diamond cutting and polishing workers in Botswana expose jewellery brands25 June, 2020Over 277 jobs were recently lost in Botswana’s diamond cutting and polishing sector. IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Botswana Diamond Workers Union (BDWU), is protesting against the precarious working conditions in the industry.
Union win stops unfair retrenchments at Botswana diamond mine 8 May, 2023The Botswana Mine Workers Union’s (BMWU) win in an industrial court on 28 April has stopped unfair retrenchments at Lucara Botswana’s security department at the Karowe diamond mine, the same mine which unearthed “Lesedi la rona” (our light) in 2015 - the largest diamond to be discovered in a century. The mine has also dug three diamonds with over 1,000 carats each and sold “The Constellation”, an 813-carat diamond for a record US$63 million for a rough gem in 2016.
Botswana: Union fights union busting in the diamond supply chain15 August, 2024Globally, Botswana’s diamond manufacturing supply chain is seen as a shining example of the sector in Africa. But unions say with the current union busting the country’s diamonds are becoming dirty.
Curbing violations by Chinese multinationals in African critical minerals boom 31 October, 2025As the world races towards net zero, Africa’s vast reserves of cobalt, lithium and copper, which are vital for electric-vehicle batteries and renewable-energy technologies, have huge potential to industrialize the continent and boost manufacturing. Yet in the extraction of the critical minerals, Chinese multinationals, are engaging in unfair labour practices, paying low wages, and destroying the environment.
Botswana: IndustriALL calls for immediate action at deadly mine7 July, 2016In the last five years, 15 mineworkers at Bamangwato Concessions Ltd (BCL) mine in Botswana have died on duty in separate accidents. Despite numerous appeals to government to improve safety at the state-owned mine, conditions are in fact deteriorating.
Young and Unionized14 September, 2016Participants at a youth workshop in Gaberone, Botswana brought new energy and a fresh outlook to challenges facing affiliates to build strong unions.
Young workers commit to active participation in transforming trade unions in Botswana28 July, 2022The youth activist schools are spaces where young workers discuss how they can be catalysts in the transformation of trade unions. Recommendations from the schools have included strategies and tactics on how young workers can be change agents that shape and drive the future of unions.
Southern Africa: Building a network of young workers27 September, 2017Young workers from 11 IndustriALL affiliates representing the construction, chemical, garment and textile, energy, metal and mining sectors in Southern Africa, from Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland met in Gaborone, Botswana, from 20-21 September, to discuss how they can network and develop joint actions on common struggles. The workshop explored ways to increase the participation of the youth in unions.
Botswana union challenges leader’s unfair dismissal15 April, 2019The unfair dismissal of Goleba Botshome, the general secretary of the Botswana Diamond Workers Union (BDWU), by Pluczenik Diamonds exposes the gross human and workers’ rights violations that are rampant in the diamond sector in Botswana.
Not so sparkly conditions in Botswana diamond polishing 28 February, 2014IndustriALL affiliates in Botswana’s diamond polishing sector report dangerous working conditions and poor wages for the predominantly female workforce.
