By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
Security guards across the country have threatened to go on strike as from Monday if the Security Association of Namibia (SAN) does not make an acceptable salary and wage offer to the workers today.
“Failure to do that, comes Monday August 13, no security officer will attend to any work around the whole country,” said the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (NATAU)’s General Secretary John Kwedhi yesterday.
Kwedhi claimed that in April this year, NATAU, together with the Namibia Security Guards and Watchmen’s Union (NASGWU) and the Security Association of Namibia (SAN) agreed to negotiate on the minimum wage for security officers, as well as 15 percent salary increment across the board, replacement fee for absentees, pension fund and uniforms.
However, during a meeting yesterday, SAN representatives informed the unions that they would not negotiate a salary increment but only a minimum wage at entry level.
“SAN’s resolution has a potential derailment of the fair and sound collective bargaining. We have a full mandate from our members to negotiate salary increments and adjust the current minimum wage,” he said yesterday.
Both unions proposed a N$ 3.90 minimum wage per hour compared to a 15 percent salary increment across the board, while SAN demanded only a N$2.27 minimum wage per hour.
“With the increment, the security guards would take home only N$1 200 per month, which is already too small,” said the chairman of NASGWU, David Nenghete.
Secretary-General of the Namibia Farmworkers Union, Alfred Angula, bemoaned that it was unfair of security companies, despite receiving “big fat cheques” that they did not want to share their profits with workers.
He also blamed traffic officers for the manner in which security guards were transported.
“If you are a driver and don’t have a safety belt on, you are harassed by traffic officers, but they don’t care about the way security guards are transported.
People are transported like animals, like donkeys and goats. This is unacceptable.”
Only two security companies, Oshana Security Services in Oshakati and Eagle Night Watch in the capital would not be affected by the move.