Cheetah Cement: Union set to protest today

Namibia's second cement factory will go through more labour unrest today after the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) announced last Friday that its members will protest in front of the Cheetah Cement gates in Otjiwarongo this morning.

MUN northern organiser Brian Tjihero officially informed the plant's parent company Whale Rock Cement that the strike would kick off at 07:30 this morning.

Meanwhile, Whale Rock Cement on Sunday urged the union and its workers' representatives to listen to reason.

General manager Kevin Lee said the workers’ “unrealistic demands and threats of industrial action are counterproductive and can lead to unwanted job losses".

He admitted that the plant had not been operational for six consecutive months since its inception in early 2018.

Recently, activities were once again halted after the labour ministry demanded that worker safety issues be addressed.

The plant was subsequently closed between 10 and 23 May.

‘Unrealistic’

According to him, the Covid-19 pandemic and its restrictions affected the company, but no money was deducted from employees while operations were halted.

"To ensure that employees had enough to survive, Whale Rock Cement took advantage of leave days, and even went as far as to pay employees their full compensation even if they did not have enough leave days to cover the restriction period.”

The company tried its best to ensure employees received their full basic salaries during the pandemic, he said.

Lee added that employees received half-wage bonuses at the end of 2020, and full bonuses at the end of 2021, even though the company made no profit in those years.

"Despite these sacrifices made by Whale Rock Cement, MUN and workers' representatives continue to make unrealistic demands," he said.

Demands

According to Lee, the company is offering increases of N$800 for employees who earn less than N$6 000 a month, while those who earn more than N$6 000 will pocket an extra N$500.

Cheetah further provides 80% contribution to medical aid membership, N$500 housing allowance and N$30 meal allowance per working day, he said, while night shift allowance would increase from 10% to 15% over the next two years.

He said the union is demanding a 9% salary increase for all workers as well as a 15% contribution to pension funds, 100% medical aid contribution for employees and two dependents and N$2 500 more for housing. The employees have demanded that these changes apply from April 2020, he said.

Furthermore, the union demanded that employees be compensated in similar fashion to those at Ohorongo Cement.

‘Doesn’t make sense’

According to Tjihero, most Cheetah employees earn between N$3 600 and N$4 600 per month, while workers at Ohorongo earn three to four times more.

"It does not make sense in mining. We suggested a rating system to them, but they never responded.

“Imagine, someone earns more than his supervisor. It does not make sense,” he said.

Tjihero added that some employees only receive N$100 housing allowance, and that the offer for N$500 was made very recently.

Furthermore, he said it has been about three and a half years since employees’ last increase, despite negotiations having begun in 2020.

The previous increase was effected before MUN was appointed as the negotiating unit at the cement factory, and was also applied selectively, he said.

Asked yesterday whether the strike was still going ahead as planned, he said: "Yes, yes, the strike continues”.

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