The ministry of labour reported that between 2021/2022, a total of 4 769 labour-related complaints across all regions and from different sectors have been registered.
So far, 3 678 are fully resolved, whereas 556 were declared formal disputes and were referred to Labour Commissioner for dispute resolution.
Only 363 of these cases were not resolved due to various reasons.
Meanwhile, N$2.9 million was collected and paid to complainants.
This information was shared by the labour minister Utoni Nujoma during the ministerial general meeting yesterday.
In his speech, Nujoma said 2 701 workplace inspections were conducted, of which 1 521 inspections were to verify compliance with basic conditions of employment, and 1 180 inspections were to verify compliance with occupational safety and health standards.
This number is likely to increase in the 2022/2023 financial year, as 3 835 cases were already reported in the first three quarters.
A total of 3 108 are fully resolved, whereas 343 were declared disputes and referred to Labour Commissioner for dispute resolution mechanism, and only 298 were not resolved due to various reasons.
In addition, N$2.5 million has been collected on behalf of the complainants and paid to the respective complainants so far this year.
“The total money collected represents labour dispute claims of several thousand workers,” said Nujoma.
The report further indicates that in the financial year 2021-2022, a total of 5 182 complaints were referred to the Labour Commissioner, of which a total of 2 461 cases were resolved at conciliation and arbitration.
The 76% were settled at the
conciliation stage.
In the first three quarters of the financial year 2022-2023, a total of 4 378 complaints were referred to the Labour Commissioner, of which a total of 2 213 cases were resolved at conciliation and arbitration.
The 68% were settled at the conciliation stage.
“These are significant achievements. However, in each year, a large percentage of cases are carried over to the next year due to many reasons, including postponements, to accommodate the schedules of private legal practitioners and labour consultants, as well as staff turnover,” explained Nujoma.
He, however, assured the system of alternate dispute resolution resorting under the Labour Commissioner was designed to provide speedy and cost-effective resolution of labour disputes.
Nujoma rededicated this year to improving service delivery and adopting a sense of urgency.
“I expect that dedicated effort will be made to ensure all legislative reviews currently pending within the ministry are finalised in the 2023/2024 financial year,” he said.