Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) southern regional coordinator, Moses Ruben, has said Hangana Abalone employees at Lüderitz will remain on strike until their demands are met by the company.
About 16 employees have been on strike since last Wednesday demanding a N.dollars 750 salary adjustment for the 2022/23 financial year per employee and nine-month back pay.
The employees are also demanding a N.dollars 600 salary adjustment per person per month for the 2023/24 financial year and a further N.dollars 500 salary adjustment for the 2024/25 financial year.
According to Ruben, Hangana and Nafau started salary negotiations last year, and in June this year they reached a deadlock, which led to the strike.
Ruben on Wednesday alleged that the company is violating the rules of the strike by employing other people to do the work of those on strike.
“When we signed the rules of the strike, we agreed that the company must not employ new people but as we speak, they have six people who replaced the employees that are on strike,” he said.
Richard Richard, the employees’ shop steward, on his part questioned why Hangana employees are paid N.dollars 13.50 per hour while employees employed through Africa Personnel Services (APS) are paid N.dollars 21.50 per hour for the same work.
“We are not happy and we the employees are frustrated. I have been working here for five years without a salary increment,” he said.
Approached for comment, Hangana Managing Director Herman Theron denied that the company is violating the strike rules.
He said the six employees have been working at the factory where the abalone is processed since last August year and not at the site where the striking employees usually work.
“We call them from time to time to help with production so in my opinion we are not violating any rules,” he said.
On the issue of the salary difference between the employees, Theron noted that Hangana employees have benefits such as 100 per cent medical aid, transport and housing allowance and pension, unlike the employees from APS.
“In the end, our employees are paid N.dollars 23.50 per hour when you add all those benefits. This strike has impacted us, it is unfortunate that the employees decided to strike but we are looking for a solution soon, we cannot leave this in the air,” he said.
Source: NAMPA