WINDHOEK – About 1400 workers at the NovaNam fishing factory in Lüderitz will be going back to work by Monday next week after the company’s management and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) signed a three year agreement yesterday.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare in the presence of Deputy Minister of Labour Alpheus Muheua and Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Chief Samuel Ankama. All striking seagoing workers are expected to resume duty today.
Muheua yesterday admitted that Nafau had a difficult time convincing its members to accept the agreement as not all their concerns were addressed in the three-year agreement, which is a first for any company in Namibia’s fishing industry.
“While this is the best settlement for now it does not mean that negotiations are over… I am not a proponent of strikes at all. Strikes are a good tool when necessary, but once a strike starts then both parties are at the losing end,” remarked Muheua.
He nevertheless said the consensus between the two parties is in the best interest of Lüderitz community and the fishing industry.
The two-month long strike over wages and improved working conditions had brought NovaNam’s production to a standstill and cost the company between N$50 and N$60 million in revenue.
Deputy Fisheries Minister Ankama encouraged companies and workers to continuously engage in dialogue and added that both parties felt the wrath of the industrial action since it commenced about two months ago.
The Secretary General of Nafau, Kilos Sacharias, noted that “transparency is crucial to avoid strikes in the future.
I don’t want to to be told only when its time for negotiations that the company is having financial problems.
These issues should be communicated well in advance and on a constant basis.”
The agreement signed yesterday stipulates a 5.8 percent increase during 2013/2014 on the basic rate for permanent and temporary employees.
This increase will go up to 6 percent during 2014/15, while the 2015/16 increase will be based on the inflation rate.
All land-based and seagoing employees are to receive a housing allowance increase of N$75 per month for the first year, N$100 per month for the second year and N$100 plus inflation for the third year.
The two parties also agreed on bonuses for all employees.
By Edgar Brandt