LÜDERITZ – Workers at B&E International Namibia contracted by Namdeb to provide services in mining, seawall management, fuel management and treatment have been on strike since February.
The B&E strike started on February 16 in Lüderitz as well as Oranjemund and initially involved 200 workers but B&E urgently requested 79 of the 200 striking workers not to strike because their work involves providing essential services.
For now the 121 workers have still not resumed work as they wait for management to sit down with the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) to negotiate a salary increment and medical aid benefits.
MUN regional secretary Lazarus Nangolo told New Era they were supposed to suspend the strike last week due to the company’s request that 79 workers of the 200 on strike go back to work.
Nangolo indicated they met twice with B&E management on February 26 and 27 for negotiations. Both parties had agreed on a 15 percent increment to be backdated to 2014.
But one of the current outstanding issues is that B&E and MUN could not reach an agreement regarding a 2015/2016 wage increment and also on adjustments to the transport allowance for B&E workers at Elizabeth Bay Mine near Lüderitz.
At a meeting held on Sunday both parties agreed on a 50 percent increase for medical aid.
A meeting which would hopefully finalize the rest of the benefits was scheduled for yesterday.
The striking workers meet at the Lüderitz lagoon as the office of B&E is in Oranjemund while Lüderitz serves as its operational area.