WINDHOEK – Talks are underway to implement minimum wages in the fuel industry, Namibian Fuel and Allied Workers Union (Nafawu) Secretary general, David Frans told media on Wednesday.
“I am proud to inform the public, media communities and the workers in the fuel industry that, Association of Service Station Owners (ASSO) has finally come to the negotiating table to commence the minimum wage negotiations,” he informed journalists.
This follows after an agreement was signed last month between ASSO, NAFAWU, Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN), Metal and Allied Workers Union (MANWU), Namibia Wholesaler Retail Workers Union (NWRWU) and the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (NFAWU) to set up a forum that would negotiate and set a minimum wage for the fuel retail industry with the Namibian government.
Currently there is no minimum wage for the fuel retail industry.
He said this was a step in the right direction for ASSO to show commitment to the implementation of the minimum wage.
“Although it is not liable as its constitution states, so far there is good progress within the spirit of negotiation as we are at a position that both parties are advised to go and seek new offers or mandates from their constituency and resume the negotiations on Friday,” he said.
Frans said he was disappointed some ASSO members and individual service station owners have black-listed and dismissed workers in the fuel industry that participated in the strike.
“The strike was legal and therefore no one should have been black-listed or dismissed,” said the unionist.
He said he has forwarded the complaints of black-listed and dismissed workers to the Labour commissioner for conciliation and arbitration.
“We promise not to leave any stone unturned in getting justice to the cases of dismissed workers,” he said.
“This is absurd and illegal, we denounce these evil doings with the strongest terms it deserves as it contradicts the provisions of the Labour Act 11 of 2007,” he said.
“We call upon the government to urgently investigate these claims and call these employers to order,” he added.
In July service station workers in Oshana, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Omusati and Khomas took to the street demanding a wage increase from the current range of between N$250 and N$800 per month to a minimum of N$4 500.