WINDHOEK – Hundreds of Air Namibia employees could go on strike anytime soon after the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau) and company management reached a deadlock on wage negotiations.
Since last year Natau and Air Namibia have been in wage negotiations but yesterday the negotiating teams saw no further way forward to resolve the dispute.
“Natau hereby wishes to inform all its members and the general public at large about the possible industrial action by its members at Air Namibia, in accordance with the certificate of unresolved dispute of interest that was issued to the union by the labour commissioner on the 18th November 2013 following a deadlock on salaries and substantive increments between the Air Namibia management negotiating team and Natau,” said Natau deputy general secretary, Likius Vilho, at a press conference yesterday.
Vilho said the parties received a certificate of unresolved dispute from the Office of the Labour Commissioner after they failed to agree on wages and regarding substantive issues that were under discussion.
He said the union gave the management a chance to reconsider their position on the 6.4 percent imposed on its members during March 2013 and a number of consultation meetings were held including the one called by Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Alpheus Muheua.
“The parties held the last meeting on 13 February 2014, whereby management made a request to the union to forgo the 2013 [discussions] and consider the 2014 negotiations. The union team yet again gave management till Thursday, 20 February 2014 to come up with any [counter] offer,” he explained.
According to him the Air Namibia negotiating team proposed a 9 percent wage increase on the A- band, and 7 percent on B and C bands, an offer which was totally rejected by Natau members and as a result workers will go ahead with the ballot to determine the next action to be taken.
“Obviously the workers will vote in favour of the strike as stated in required procedures,” he said. He further said the ballot for a strike already started last Friday till yesterday.
“After that the company will be given 48 hours notice informing them of the time and date when the strike will commence,” he added.
He urged all union members to follow all procedures as required by law regarding strikes and labour withdrawal.
However in the press statement of yesterday, Air Namibia Managing Director Theo Namases stated they have done everything within their power and within financial constraints to avert the planned strike.
“We are aware of the negative impact of another strike on Air Namibia but we must however respect the democratic rights of Natau members to ballot,” she said.
“Our employees are and continue to be an integral part of our organisation and as such we commit to foster a climate of consultation and engagement for the betterment of the airline,” Namases further stated.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa