Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) - Gaborone - Botswana

Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU) is the national trade union federation for Botswana. Founded in 1977, it represents Unions covering all sectors of the economy. At present BFTU has 26 affiliates.

BFTU is affiliated to the: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Africa, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) International, Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), The Southern Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC).

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recognises BFTU’s status as the national labour centre in Botswana. Botswana Federation of Trade Union’s mission is to “build a strong labour movement for democracy, social dialogue and sustainable development” This is further augmented by its vision of striving to promote the interest and welfare of the workers, individual citizens and to create a free and prosperous society in Botswana.

For the mission and vision to be attained, BFTU realises that there has to be guiding values that will ensure the success of its endeavours:

Social dialogue and constructive engagement it does this by advancing and defending worker’s interests at workplaces with a broader social, political and economic development agenda.
Accountability, transparency and ethics it strives to promote the principle of a free and independent labour movement without the interference from government, political parties or the employer but seek to place the “voice of workers” in the political process.
The third value deliberates on worker’s participatory democracy which entails promoting workers democracy and control through effective worker participation in defence of the rights.
The fourth value is that of cooperation and networking with strategic allies basing on the fact that the world is now globalised and workers should respond to the effects of the process and advocate for world social justice.