Former lodge manager disputes workers’ claims

ALL the rules prescribed in the Labour Act were followed in the claimed eviction of four workers from the Onduruquea Lodge, says Frank Eichhorn, former manager of the lodge.

In reply to a recent article in The Namibian about allegations made by four ex-employees at the lodge near Omaruru, Eichhorn said in a letter that the former workers started the quarrel by requesting double the payout they were offered. He said the workers had received notice a month before Eichhorn’s rental agreement for the lodge expired.”Unfortunately the employees were misinformed by the trade unions concerning the contents of the labour law,” according to Eichhorn, speaking on behalf of Southern Game Tracks CC, of which he is a managing member.”As form of intimidation and blackmail the employees, under the trade union suggestion, refused to leave the work premises, endangering and compromising the ten-year-long good relationship with the lessor,” he claimed.”The employees were completely deaf to any objective and rational suggestion offered by us …and an independent labour consultant.”Eichhorn said the union’s representative collected the workers’ payment on December 5.When approached by The Namibian for comment on that day, Namibia Farm Workers Union (Nafwu) Acting Secretary General Simson Amupanda, as well as another union official, denied knowing about the case.He said the workers had received notice a month before Eichhorn’s rental agreement for the lodge expired.”Unfortunately the employees were misinformed by the trade unions concerning the contents of the labour law,” according to Eichhorn, speaking on behalf of Southern Game Tracks CC, of which he is a managing member.”As form of intimidation and blackmail the employees, under the trade union suggestion, refused to leave the work premises, endangering and compromising the ten-year-long good relationship with the lessor,” he claimed.”The employees were completely deaf to any objective and rational suggestion offered by us …and an independent labour consultant.”Eichhorn said the union’s representative collected the workers’ payment on December 5.When approached by The Namibian for comment on that day, Namibia Farm Workers Union (Nafwu) Acting Secretary General Simson Amupanda, as well as another union official, denied knowing about the case.