Windhoek
A strike at Kayec Trust, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has entered its sixth week. And Nantu has blamed the length of the strike thus far on Kayec management’s reluctance to engage in talks.
Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) secretary general Basilius Haingura yesterday said the union has tried several times to engage Kayec management to come to the negotiation table, but to no avail.
The salary negotiations between Kayec and Nantu started early in June with the union proposing a 20 percent salary increase for employees, while Kayec offered an increase of 5,1 percent. Nantu further demanded a monthly housing allowance of N$800 for employees, and a monthly transport allowance of N$660.
It then adjusted its proposals to a salary increase of 12 percent, with further demands including housing allowance of N$800 a month and monthly transport allowance of N$460. Earlier this year New Era reported that a Kayec director earns N$72 139 a month. His deputy director nets N$34 859 per month and the human resources manager gets N$33 699 a month, while a monitoring and evaluation officer grosses N$22 632 a month. A communication officer earns N$21 674 per month.
The instructors and trainers are aggrieved and feel they do much work but only take home N$6 322, a little more than the cleaners who earn N$5 528 per month.
At the time, Kayec Trust shop steward Donald Kuhanga accused Kayec’s senior managers of enriching themselves at taxpayers’ expense.
“Taxpayers’ money is being used to build empires for the three management members,” Kuhanga had said.
He further accused the trio of recruiting employees without following proper channels.
“Kayec is fully funded by government, so just like any other government institution proper channels should be followed,” said Kuhanga. Recently an electrical instructor was employed by Kayec, although the position was never advertised. Kuhanga called on the Kayec Board of Trustees to immediately suspend the trio and launch an investigation into allegations of maladministration.
“As we are talking, we do not have teaching material for learners,” he added.
Kuhanga further requests the board to make public the qualifications of the highly paid trio.