By Wezi Tjaronda WINDHOEK Namibia’s meat exporter, Meatco, has taken legal action against 80 employees who went on strike yesterday, resulting in the company incurring a N$480 000 loss in direct costs. The company’s Manager: Corporate Communications, Uschi Ramakhutla, did not disclose the nature of the legal action at the time of going to press yesterday. The workers downed tools in protest against the suspension of a shop steward of the Namibia Wholesale and Retail Workers Union, Ebenhardt Kanguru, who allegedly assaulted his Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAWU) counterpart, Gideon Swartbooi. As a result of the work stoppage, the company failed to slaughter 429 cattle and 1 426 sheep yesterday. Meatco also had to cancel today’s slaughter bookings because of the prevailing situation. Ramakhutla said the striking group was angered by the company’s decision to stand by its decision to suspend Kanguru after Swartbooi withdrew the assault charges. The two are said to have clashed over which union should negotiate on behalf of the workers, considering that the employees belong to the two unions. This happened on the second day of salary. Ramakhutla said the union representatives were negotiating the percentage that Meatco should award workers as a salary increase. Although the aggrieved Swartbooi withdrew the complaint, the company said it defended its decision not to cancel the disciplinary action because it is obliged to ensure the right of each employee to feel safe and secure when entering the workplace. “Meatco cannot allow the infringement of rights or intimidation of its employees,” she said, adding that the company has a duty to act strictly and fairly and to investigate all grievances and to take action pending final findings. “Meatco will not make any exceptions to the values that all employees have committed themselves to. These values must be adhered to by every individual in the employ of the corporation,” added the manager. At the time of going to press, the workers had defied the company’s second notice to return to work, leading to the unspecified legal action. NAFAWU’s Secretary General, Kiros Sakarias, said the action was against the directive sent to the workers at around 10H00 yesterday for them to go back to work and let the management and the union handle the issue. “Our directions{ves} were clear this morning. We told our people to do the right thing by returning to their duties while management and the unions address the matter. We don’t feel it was necessary to stop work. This just needs consultation,” said Sakarias. Even with the directive from the union, Sakarias added, it seems the workers were hesitant to go back to their posts. Meatco’s slaughtering plant has 400 workers, but the work had to be stopped because the others could not work in the absence of their colleagues in the production line. “The rest cannot continue slaughtering if some people do not work. The rest of the production line is affected,” said Ramakhutla.