WINDHOEK – The Secretary General of the Namibia Security Guard and Watchmen Union (NASGWU), David Frans, says he will not rest until all members of the union receive a N$6 500 minimum wage per month.
He said the Security Association of Namibia and NASGWU will finalise the regulations of the Security Act in March, while the Ministry of Labour will facilitate a meeting with the Ministry of Safety and Security. “We will ask them to provide an audited report during the negotiations,” he said while addressing over 100 security guards on Monday at the former workers’ compound in Katutura. He also announced that the union has met its target by recruiting 5 000 members in Windhoek alone and said many more will join the union in due course. “Come and join the union, with more members joining it will help us reform the security sector and become the voice of the employees in the security industry,” he implored security guards, who are not yet unionised. He further called on companies that deducted money from employees and that participated in a December 19, 2013 meeting to refund such employees. He said the union has also ordered companies such as G4S and NPS to refund their employees. “We have issued a stern warning to these companies to stop this unfair labour practice,” he said. Frans says the union will ensure that companies change their policies and comply with the Labour Act and stop illegal deductions on AWOL, sleeping on duty, leaving the site, uniform deductions among others.
“The Namibian security labour forum will conduct inspections and identify the companies that are not complying with the Labour Act and collective bargaining agreement during the month of February,” he said. “Certificates of operation and the tenders of those non-complying companies will be revoked,” he warned. He implored members and potential members to be discipled and to work hard in order for the security sector to be recognised and to contribute to fighting unemployment in the country.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa