MPs: Govt failed NBC employees
Government failed the employees of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) in the aftermath of a nationwide strike in 2021.
This according to parliamentarians, who this week interrogated an information ministry delegation alongside the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources on the strike.
After NBC employees undertook industrial action for better salaries over two years ago, some faced foreclosures on their homes as a result of subsequent deductions, while members of management allegedly paid themselves performance bonuses of over N$5.4 million.
According to executive director Audrin Mathe, the ministry was aware of this status quo – a fact that did not sit well with parliamentarians.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Ricky Vries said NBC should have tempered the blow on employees and stretched deductions over several months, while PDM’s Max Katjimune said how bonuses were paid out was ‘highly irregular’.
Minister Peya Mushelenga failed to use his powers to deal with the NBC board, Katjimune added.
“Even after that news broke of the bonuses, action should have been taken. The way those bonuses were given out, it was highly irregular and the minister failed to act. The minister and the ministry failed to act,” he said.
Contractual obligations
"There were agreements signed between the board and the chair and contractual obligations have consequences. This is a matter we have encouraged. The minister has sat with the board to say there must be conditions upon which bonuses are paid, including having to set targets. When those targets are achieved, then you pay on that basis," Mathe said.
The strike, during which employees advocated for an 8% salary increase with a retrospective effect covering 24 months, concluded with executives refusing workers’ demands, citing financial constraints within the corporation.
Workers subsequently resumed their duties, but lost a month's worth of wages.
“We are aware of the challenges faced by the corporation. For a long time, [employees] have gone on a strike without getting a salary increase. We have to create an environment that employees can function normally without having to be afraid that ‘if you do this, you are going to be dismissed’. So, we, the ministry, have engaged the board to understand what it is that is causing some of the problems,” Mathe said.
“You have seen the budget has increased slowly, but we cannot increase it all the time.”
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This according to parliamentarians, who this week interrogated an information ministry delegation alongside the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources on the strike.
After NBC employees undertook industrial action for better salaries over two years ago, some faced foreclosures on their homes as a result of subsequent deductions, while members of management allegedly paid themselves performance bonuses of over N$5.4 million.
According to executive director Audrin Mathe, the ministry was aware of this status quo – a fact that did not sit well with parliamentarians.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Ricky Vries said NBC should have tempered the blow on employees and stretched deductions over several months, while PDM’s Max Katjimune said how bonuses were paid out was ‘highly irregular’.
Minister Peya Mushelenga failed to use his powers to deal with the NBC board, Katjimune added.
“Even after that news broke of the bonuses, action should have been taken. The way those bonuses were given out, it was highly irregular and the minister failed to act. The minister and the ministry failed to act,” he said.
Contractual obligations
"There were agreements signed between the board and the chair and contractual obligations have consequences. This is a matter we have encouraged. The minister has sat with the board to say there must be conditions upon which bonuses are paid, including having to set targets. When those targets are achieved, then you pay on that basis," Mathe said.
The strike, during which employees advocated for an 8% salary increase with a retrospective effect covering 24 months, concluded with executives refusing workers’ demands, citing financial constraints within the corporation.
Workers subsequently resumed their duties, but lost a month's worth of wages.
“We are aware of the challenges faced by the corporation. For a long time, [employees] have gone on a strike without getting a salary increase. We have to create an environment that employees can function normally without having to be afraid that ‘if you do this, you are going to be dismissed’. So, we, the ministry, have engaged the board to understand what it is that is causing some of the problems,” Mathe said.
“You have seen the budget has increased slowly, but we cannot increase it all the time.”
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