Construction industry: Wage adjustments delayed
Wrong rates in Government Gazette
The process has to start all over again, the labour ministry's executive director said.
While the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) and the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu) reached an agreement on adjustments to the minimum wage for workers in the construction industry last October, it has yet to take effect.
The CIF and the union have blamed the labour ministry for the delay, while the ministry has pointed fingers right back at the two bodies.
According to executive director Lydia Indombo, the delay is due to an incorrect version of the agreement being submitted electronically by the CIF.
The federation’s CEO Bärbel Kirchner admitted that an incorrect version was sent to the ministry on 7 October 2023. However, it was sent after the correct, original agreement had already been submitted to the minister's office on 4 October 2023, she explained.
The ministry submitted the wrong document to its justice counterpart, which was subsequently published in the Government Gazette on 19 December 2023, Kirchner said.
"The version of the joint agreement the ministry received from the parties was wrong. This was the exact version that the ministry used throughout the process and was finally published in the Government Gazette," Indombo said.
After publication in the Government Gazette, 44 days must lapse for the recording of any objections and before the minimum wage comes into force.
Human error
According to Kirchner, an inquiry by a building contractor brought the error to the CIF’s attention.
“Fortunately, we picked up the error shortly before the grace period ended. There was indeed an error in the soft copy emailed to the ministry. It was an honest, human error and there was nothing deliberate about it," she stressed.
According to Indombo, the process now has to start all over again. She said the labour ministry has already submitted the correct agreement to the justice ministry. However, it must be published again in the Government Gazette, while the period of 44 days will also apply again.
Indombo further denied that the ministry wants to delay the ratification of the new minimum wage.
"The ministry wants to make it clear that it has no reason to delay such an application or any other application," she said. She also distanced herself from allegations made by Manwu against the ministry.
Delay tactic
The union's secretary-general Justina Jonas said the ministry is simply shifting the blame. According to her, the ministry has been using this delay tactic for years.
"Every year, they delay things until we have to fight for them, then they wake up. Publication in the Government Gazette is always delayed - sometimes for six months, sometimes up to a year! This is the same thing they are doing now and now they want to blame us for it. The document is verified and usually they then come back to us, but not this time."
Jonas added: "They only respond when you follow up. We contacted the executive director in January and only got a reply a week later. When asked whether the error would cause a delay, it took three weeks before they could answer us”.
"Why don't they make sure from the beginning? Why don't they do their job from day one? The labour ministry delays the process year in and year out," she fumed.
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The CIF and the union have blamed the labour ministry for the delay, while the ministry has pointed fingers right back at the two bodies.
According to executive director Lydia Indombo, the delay is due to an incorrect version of the agreement being submitted electronically by the CIF.
The federation’s CEO Bärbel Kirchner admitted that an incorrect version was sent to the ministry on 7 October 2023. However, it was sent after the correct, original agreement had already been submitted to the minister's office on 4 October 2023, she explained.
The ministry submitted the wrong document to its justice counterpart, which was subsequently published in the Government Gazette on 19 December 2023, Kirchner said.
"The version of the joint agreement the ministry received from the parties was wrong. This was the exact version that the ministry used throughout the process and was finally published in the Government Gazette," Indombo said.
After publication in the Government Gazette, 44 days must lapse for the recording of any objections and before the minimum wage comes into force.
Human error
According to Kirchner, an inquiry by a building contractor brought the error to the CIF’s attention.
“Fortunately, we picked up the error shortly before the grace period ended. There was indeed an error in the soft copy emailed to the ministry. It was an honest, human error and there was nothing deliberate about it," she stressed.
According to Indombo, the process now has to start all over again. She said the labour ministry has already submitted the correct agreement to the justice ministry. However, it must be published again in the Government Gazette, while the period of 44 days will also apply again.
Indombo further denied that the ministry wants to delay the ratification of the new minimum wage.
"The ministry wants to make it clear that it has no reason to delay such an application or any other application," she said. She also distanced herself from allegations made by Manwu against the ministry.
Delay tactic
The union's secretary-general Justina Jonas said the ministry is simply shifting the blame. According to her, the ministry has been using this delay tactic for years.
"Every year, they delay things until we have to fight for them, then they wake up. Publication in the Government Gazette is always delayed - sometimes for six months, sometimes up to a year! This is the same thing they are doing now and now they want to blame us for it. The document is verified and usually they then come back to us, but not this time."
Jonas added: "They only respond when you follow up. We contacted the executive director in January and only got a reply a week later. When asked whether the error would cause a delay, it took three weeks before they could answer us”.
"Why don't they make sure from the beginning? Why don't they do their job from day one? The labour ministry delays the process year in and year out," she fumed.
– [email protected]
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