THE Solidarity Union is threatening to take Namib Mills at Walvis Bay to the Labour Court if the company dismisses two of its workers unfairly.
This follows an incident during which two employees received letters regarding disciplinary hearings after complaining about unsafe working conditions.
Supervisor Anthony Himmel on 25 October allegedly asked one of the companys truck divers, Abiatar Amunyela, to get on top of a truck to wash it – without safety equipment.
The employee was then forklifted onto the truck into the air to perform this duty.
Himmel then allegedly started taking pictures of Amunyela, who was complaining that it was unsafe to get on top of the truck.
A few days later, Amunyele received a letter from the company, informing him to attend a disciplinary hearing on 29 October with another colleague who supported him in the matter.
The hearing has been postponed to 12 November.
The head of operations for the Solidarity Union in the Erongo region, Joseph //Garoëb, on Wednesday said the union regards the action as an act of humiliation.
“Was the employee not supposed to question this? Why does the company not have a wash bay for trucks? Are you saying I should wash a truck because I drive it? As long as we are representing workers, we will ensure their safety.
“We have videos of the workers on the truck, and they will be used as evidence. We will open a case against the company,” he said.
//Garoëb said the workers who witnessed the incident now fear this may happen to them too.
Amunyela, who has been working for Namib Mills for nine years, says he felt humiliated, especially as the supervisor was shouting at him and taking videos.
“I had already finished washing the truck, but Himmel said I must clean the roof of the truck.
“I did not know how to get to the top, so I asked the forklift driver to stack up some pallets so I could reach the top. I asked him why he was taking pictures, and also went to the manager to complain about it.
“She said it was not her business, and that everybody has a right to take pictures. They are saying I talked back to Himmel, but I was upset that he was taking pictures,” Amunyela says.
The workers say they used to wash the trucks with a car-wash machine, which is no longer available to them.
They say they now have to use a small hosepipe.
Namib Mills corporate brand manager Selma Moongo says the company does not have any comment on the matter as it is currently being investigated internally.
The Solidarity Union represents more than 2 000 Namib Mills employees countrywide, with about 30 workers at Walvis Bay.
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