Rauna Kalola
SWAKOPMUND – Labour conditions in Namibia have come a long way since independence, as many workers now enjoy paid vacation leave, overtime for work performed beyond the eight-hour workday as well as social security benefits.
In an interview, governor of Erongo Neville Andre shed light on the significance of Workers’ Day in Namibia, and urged both unions and employers to work together with the improvement of the living conditions of Namibian workers.
“Namibia and her struggle for independence were ignited by the mistreatment and discrimination of workers between blacks and whites at that time, which prompted the uprising and fighting for the struggle. Thus, we need to appreciate what they contributed, since it was not only a struggle that changed the labour situation but the whole country, as today, we are independent,” Andre said.
The fight for workers’ rights continues, as it did not end with the contract labourer system.
Dynamics in modern-day Namibia have changed, and workers across the country have registered with labour unions, agitating for fair labour practices and fair pay, among others.
The governor urged workers’ representatives to not lead their members astray and represent workers fairly and without fear or favour.
“When representing the workers, there is so much pressure from the members. Do it with a good understanding that you are there to solve situations, and know that when workers are wrong, they should be advised accordingly and not be given false hope. Let us educate our workers on what their rights are, and how their rights should be protected,” he said.
Employers are also urged to invest in training their workers, value them equally and fairly, as well as to compensate them.
The governor noted huge gaps in compensation between ranks.
Workers’ Day, also known as Labour Day or May Day, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes.
The day is promoted by the international labour movement and occurs every year on 1 May.
The date was chosen in 1889 for political reasons by the Marxist International Socialist Congress, which met in Paris and established the Second International as a successor to the earlier International Workingmen’s Association.
They adopted a resolution for a “great international demonstration” in support of working-class demands for the eight-hour day.
The struggle for workers’ rights and long-standing grievances is not new to Namibia, as it is closely related to its struggle for independence.
During the colonial era, Namibian workers lived in compounds built like prisons, surrounded by high walls and very strict limits on movement.
The compounds were overcrowded, and the living conditions were unsanitary.
The workers received minimal compensation and very little protection from the colonial government, resulting in countrywide strikes in the 1970s.
Additionally, Andre commended his region for its sacrifices, commitment and dedication, in containing the devastating Covid-19 pandemic when the region was deemed the epicentre of the virus.
The devastating pandemic wreaked havoc on many, as lives and livelihoods were lost.
Andre emphasised the need for one to be able to provide for one’s family, having first gained employment as a salesman when he was still in high school.
He recounted how the pressure of finding a job tormented him, and how equally stressful it was to retain it.
As such, the plight of Erongo is clear to him.
“We have a lot of people who lost their lives and their jobs because of Covid-19, and losing a breadwinner or a job means that the family suffers, as they could not get anything on their tables – and this shows what contribution a working person has in society and, thus, needs to be appreciated,” he said.
“Let us try to build a society and close the gaps between management and lower management to motivate our workers and invest in enhancing skills of our people in terms of personal development, so that we have a stronger and peaceful working relation,” he added.
*Rauna Kalola is an information officer in the MICT.