THE noises emanating from the Lesotho Teachers Trade Union threatening to stage nation-wide protests suggest all is not well within the civil service.
The union has made a raft of allegations against the government.
Among some of these are that the government is planning to retrench civil servants.
The federation claims the government will specifically target teachers for the chop.
The teachers’ union also alleges that the government plans to freeze salaries for civil servants over the next three years.
The union claims that these austerity policies are being dictated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Finance Minister Timothy Thahane has dismissed these claims as untrue.
What these claims clearly show is a complete breakdown of trust between trade unions and the government.
There is an element of mistrust that could prove costly to both sides if not handled carefully.
Relations between the trade unions and their paymaster, the government, appear toxic.
This is not healthy for both sides.
Honest dialogue between the two sides should be the first step in helping clear the air and restore the element of trust.
If Lesotho fails to do so we could soon be heading towards the South African route post-World Cup.
What a tragedy that would be!
The strike action across our neighbour has caused untold suffering and anguish among the people.
It has also damaged the country’s brand painstakingly built over years in the run-up to the World Cup.
The strike, now in its third week, is said to be costing the South African economy one billion rand a day.
Such a scenario would have devastating consequences for little Lesotho.
But we have a nagging feeling that the trade union has still not exhausted all avenues for dialogue.
The union has given the government an ultimatum to address teachers’ problems by the end of September or face paralysing mass protests.
This could seriously jeopardise national examinations for the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate, the Junior Certificate and Standard 7 examinations that start next month.
In light of Thahane’s denial that there are no such drastic plans against civil servants the onus is upon the trade union leadership to provide proof to support their cause.
We have not yet seen any from the teachers’ union.
All we have heard this week are threats and more threats to shut down the country.
We think the trade union’s arguments advocating a full-blooded strike are premature.
Trade unions should turn to strike action only as a last resort.
We doubt this has been the case.
If teachers decide to go ahead with plans to down tools without exhausting all avenues for dialogue they risk alienating the public whose sympathy they need.
Besides, militancy alone cannot solve worker grievances.
It has its limits.
It is important that our trade unionists do not burn bridges and pursue dialogue in place of confrontation.
This in no way absolves the government of its responsibility to look after its own workers.
We are aware that the teaching profession has become a thankless job notorious for its poor pay.
Teachers are traditionally among the lowest paid civil servants.
As a result we have seen many teachers who would have otherwise remained in the classroom quitting their jobs in protest.
Their gripe is poor pay and atrocious working conditions.
The government must at least acknowledge the immense sacrifices made by teachers by paying them a decent wage.
An acknowledgement of this nature should not be seen as a cave-in.
Rather it is a mark of a responsive government that cares for its own people.
