By Mbatjiua Ngavirue
WINDHOEK
Love is in the air, with the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) and the union representing the company’s employees having decided to kiss and make up.
NHE and its former bitter enemy the Namibia Financial Institutions Union (Nafinu) have seemingly re-discovered a new found love for each other, and the talk now is all about reconciliation.
A salary increase agreement in which the company granted employees salary increases ranging between 8 and 11 percent no doubt smoothed the path to the blossoming romance.
NHE and Nafinu held a joint press conference yesterday where both parties were anxious to emphasise reconciliation, and a new beginning for relationships between the company and the union.
Chief Executive of the NHE, Vinson Hailulu, acknowledged the company’s decision to retrench 31 employees in mid-2006 had thrown the company into the public limelight.
The process had produced heat and tension between the management of the company and its social partner, Nafinu.
“I am pleased to inform the public that NHE as an employer and Nafinu as a representative of the workers, have resolved our differences and have indeed reached a reconciliation milestone in our relationship three weeks ago”.
The two parties had decided to put the past behind them and focus their efforts and energy into the future to work in harmony, unity and a sense of common purpose.
This involved improving the performance and productivity of the enterprise in order to provide shelter to as many Namibians as possible.
Hailulu said the company and the union therefore decided to recommit themselves to the ideals of “faithfulness, mutual respect, performance orientation, well-being of the workers and above all peace”.
The company has agreed to grant salary increases on a sliding scale of 8 percent for staff at the higher grades, 9 percent in the middle grades and 11 percent in the lower grades.
NHE also decided to abolish the current practice of differentiated transport allowances.
With effect from July 1, 2007 all staff members who qualify for the transport allowance will receive a monthly allowance of N$500 across the board.
The company also announced it would introduce a Performance Management System as part of its “Journey to Excellence” initiative.
Meanwhile, Hailulu announced that out of the 31 employees retrenched in 2006, 20 eventually accepted the company’s retrenchment package, leaving only 11 still fighting their dismissals in court.
The main component of the retrenchment package consisted of a N$250???_?_’???_?’???_???