Steven Klukowski
LÜDERITZ – The management of NovaNam/Lalandii fishing company and the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union (Nasawu) representing its employees recently reached consensus over conditions of services for the next three years.
Calling on both parties involved to strive towards harmonious, mutual-beneficiary relationships, !Nami#Nüs Constituency councillor Jan Scholtz played an instrumental role in resolving the deadlock.
“The good relations between employers and employees is a basis for the development of industrial democracy,” he explained.
The regional councillor further reasoned that strikes and conflict most of the times destroy value and endanger the long term sustainability of companies in the fishing and mining sector amongst others, which at the end negatively affects their secure growth in job creation.
“With the implementation of new economic policies, trade unions now occupy a critical position towards the success of industrial relations in this country,” said Scholtz. He further added that these unions should be regarded as an important instrument in addressing socio-economic, political and psychological challenges within industries. He then emphasised that it “has become important that employers and employees should operate as a team, supporting each other and be ready to consult each other on issues that may cause mutual harm”.
The regional councillor goes on by advising members of the two groups that it is only them who can change the working environment and living conditions of workers. “Mature dialogue and understanding should always be applied in order to secure a better future for employers, employees and the country at large,” Scholtz said.
The memorandum of agreement signed by the two concerned parties inter alia makes provision that temporary workers will be employed permanently in terms of clauses six and 13 enclosed in it accordingly. It further institutes an annual increase of 7.5 percent over a three-year period in terms of basic rates, commissions on catches and allowances whilst housing allowances will be increased by 24.75 percent. In addition, it has been agreed that annual bonuses shall be paid during the said period. This signed agreement will be applicable to both permanent and temporary sea-going and land-based employees, backdated from 01 November 2018.