Employees at city business in a froth over wage hike

ABOUT 60 workers employed at Namib Foam in Windhoek downed tools on Friday after the company refused their demand for an eight per cent salary increase.

“We have reached a deadlock and the matter has been referred to the Labour Commissioner for arbitration,” Secretary General of the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu), Moses Shiikwa, told The Namibian yesterday. According to Manwu’s shop steward at Namib Foam, Mvula Nicanor, the strike allegedly resulted from the company’s refusal to sign an agreement with Namic, the business arm of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).Namic helps union members acquire loans from financial institutions, through monthly deductions from their salaries.Once signed, Namib Foam will be green-lighted to make deductions from workers’ salaries to Namic.”We are still waiting for them to respond to our demands,” said Nicanor.The workers want the increment to be backdated to January 1 this year.Nicanor said the company was adamant that it could only raise salaries by seven per cent, which workers have turned down.Workers accuse the company of not investing their pension contributions to Old Mutual, where they should be held.”Some of the workers went to check on their pension contributions, but they only found zero balance,” said Nicanor.Namib Foam Manager Mike Strydom was not in the office to comment on the matter.He was reported to be in negotiations with workers for the day.According to Manwu’s shop steward at Namib Foam, Mvula Nicanor, the strike allegedly resulted from the company’s refusal to sign an agreement with Namic, the business arm of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).Namic helps union members acquire loans from financial institutions, through monthly deductions from their salaries.Once signed, Namib Foam will be green-lighted to make deductions from workers’ salaries to Namic.”We are still waiting for them to respond to our demands,” said Nicanor.The workers want the increment to be backdated to January 1 this year.Nicanor said the company was adamant that it could only raise salaries by seven per cent, which workers have turned down.Workers accuse the company of not investing their pension contributions to Old Mutual, where they should be held.”Some of the workers went to check on their pension contributions, but they only found zero balance,” said Nicanor.Namib Foam Manager Mike Strydom was not in the office to comment on the matter.He was reported to be in negotiations with workers for the day.