The book Unionism and Public Service Reform in Lesotho reviews the legislation governing the Lesothos Public Service since 1995. The 1995 Act was viewed as one of the important pieces of legislation in the history of Lesothos Labour Law because it dealt with issues such as freedom of association, trade union recognition, and unfair labour practices. Despite these developments, the Act was surrounded by controversy, concerning matters of prohibitions to assembly and participation in trade unions. In 2005, a new Act was enacted stipulating the new guidelines for the Public Service. The discussions of the historical, political and legislative contexts and literature review on freedom of association and public service reform provide a reflective background for an understanding of what has informed the legislative process in Lesothos Public Service and the attitudes of public servants towards unionism. This book should be useful to scholars, trade unionists, staff association representatives, and the general public that are interested in understanding the labour relations regime in Lesotho.

Mapule Maema holds a Masters in Industrial Sociology, Honours in Industrial Sociology, a Post-graduate diploma in International Studies from Rhodes University and a Bachelor of Arts from the National University of Lesotho. Areas of expertise include research, monitoring & evaluation, mentoring and developmental work.