Air Namibia faces another strike threat

AIR NAMIBIA faces a second strike threat in as many weeks, as employees of the Namibia Airports Company (NAC) fight for salary increases they argue have been due to them since 2003.

The airline said yesterday it would do everything in its power to ensure that a looming strike at airports countrywide, scheduled for Friday, would not completely disable the country’s air transport. Just this past weekend, a pilots’ strike that was scheduled to start on Sunday was averted when Air Namibia and the Namibia Pilots’ Association (Napa) reached a last-minute agreement granting Air Namibia pilots salary increases of 12 per cent.This time around however, Air Namibia is forced to watch the situation between the NAC and its workers play out in the hope that a solution will be reached before Friday, when workers say they will down tools to force Government’s hand.The NAC workers are demanding the full implementation of market-related salaries that would put them on par with other State-owned enterprises.The workers have staged demonstrations at several airports during lunch hours in preparation for all-out industrial action on Friday.In a statement signed on Monday night, Air Namibia spokesperson Mia De Klerk said if a strike took place, Air Namibia would ensure “that basic services are delivered”.The NAC, De Klerk said, plays a large role in Air Namibia’s daily operations, and thus the company was keeping a keen eye on developments there.Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Gabes Andumba of the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu), Gabes Andumba, said the union was not in agreement with the workers’ plan to strike.He said no formal dispute had been declared between the company and Napwu, and any strike would be premature and illegal.Andumba blamed the workers’ frustration on a group operating separately from the union shop stewards, who he said were stirring up workers unnecessarily.The union and Government remain in communication, he said.Workers spoken to expressed disappointment with Napwu, charging that the union did not have its members as its primary concern.”We are tired.Imagine this has been going on since 2003,” said one.The NAC board and chairperson were said to be in a meeting throughout yesterday to discuss ways of dealing with the workers’ threats.By the time of going to print yesterday, NAC spokesperson Vicky Raimond-Muranda was still waiting for the managers to emerge from the meeting.The company is expected to pronounce itself publicly on the workers’ demands based on yesterday’s deliberations.The workers’ demands can be summarised as the full implementation of market-related salaries, back payment of this amount from June 2003, and 20 per cent interest on this back pay.They also demand fresh salary negotiations for the 2008/2009 financial year.Just this past weekend, a pilots’ strike that was scheduled to start on Sunday was averted when Air Namibia and the Namibia Pilots’ Association (Napa) reached a last-minute agreement granting Air Namibia pilots salary increases of 12 per cent.This time around however, Air Namibia is forced to watch the situation between the NAC and its workers play out in the hope that a solution will be reached before Friday, when workers say they will down tools to force Government’s hand.The NAC workers are demanding the full implementation of market-related salaries that would put them on par with other State-owned enterprises.The workers have staged demonstrations at several airports during lunch hours in preparation for all-out industrial action on Friday.In a statement signed on Monday night, Air Namibia spokesperson Mia De Klerk said if a strike took place, Air Namibia would ensure “that basic services are delivered”.The NAC, De Klerk said, plays a large role in Air Namibia’s daily operations, and thus the company was keeping a keen eye on developments there.Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Gabes Andumba of the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu), Gabes Andumba, said the union was not in agreement with the workers’ plan to strike.He said no formal dispute had been declared between the company and Napwu, and any strike would be premature and illegal. Andumba blamed the workers’ frustration on a group operating separately from the union shop stewards, who he said were stirring up workers unnecessarily.The union and Government remain in communication, he said.Workers spoken to expressed disappointment with Napwu, charging that the union did not have its members as its primary concern.”We are tired.Imagine this has been going on since 2003,” said one.The NAC board and chairperson were said to be in a meeting throughout yesterday to discuss ways of dealing with the workers’ threats.By the time of going to print yesterday, NAC spokesperson Vicky Raimond-Muranda was still waiting for the managers to emerge from the meeting.The company is expected to pronounce itself publicly on the workers’ demands based on yesterday’s deliberations.The workers’ demands can be summarised as the full implementation of market-related salaries, back payment of this amount from June 2003, and 20 per cent interest on this back pay.They also demand fresh salary negotiations for the 2008/2009 financial year.