By Albertina Nakale
WINDHOEK- More than 400 teachers who had money deducted from their salaries when they took part in the 2012 national strike have forwarded their names to their union for follow-up action with the government.
The submission of teachers’ names follows in the wake of a settlement between the Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) and the government, in which it was agreed they would be refunded the money deducted from their salaries for the days they took part in the strike.
The settlement reached last month between TUN and the Ministry of Education followed a protracted legal battle on salary deductions and written warnings that were served on teachers who participated in the illegal strike.
TUN President Mahongora Kavihuha said teachers were busy submitting their names to his office to be forwarded to the education ministry collectively.
“We received more than 400 teachers’ names from different schools countywide,” said the TUN president .
Further, he urged all affected teachers to speedily forward their outstanding details for the payments to commence.
He was hopeful that by the end of July all names would have been submitted to the education ministry.
It is expected that the deducted monies would be paid back to them within the next three months.
According to him, the settlement entails that TUN shall withdraw the dispute referred to the labour commissioner and that the government shall also withdraw all final written warnings issued to TUN members with immediate effect.
TUN claimed that the deductions for unpaid leave from teachers’ salaries during the strike did not comply with the Labour Act and “were arbitrary and without any legal basis”.
TUN said the final written warnings issued to teachers who took part in the strike were also “substantively and procedurally unfair”, since they were issued without any attempt to comply with the Public Service Act and the Labour Act.
Kavihuha also said that while the Labour Act gives an employer the right to withhold the salary of an employee who did not work during a strike, the law does not permit an employer to make deductions for unpaid leave any way it wants.
Kavihuha said the union incurred costly legal fees during the strike – costs amounting to over N$400 000.