NHE employees offered N$5K to end strike
The management of the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) has offered striking employees N$5 000 as a once-off payment as part of efforts to end an almost month-long strike.
The entity has also offered to dispense loans to its employees who are engaged in the strike and have been affected by its ‘no work, no pay’ condition.
“Management has a mandate to give a once-off payment of N$5 000 to the employees in the bargaining unit for the 2021/22 financial year. This translates to N$525 000,” NHE CEO Gisbertus Mukulu said in a proposal to the Public Service Union of Namibia (PSUN).
N$5 000 is a final offer from the board for the 2021/2022 financial year, he added.
The union sought a once-off payment of N$10 000 to end the strike and requested the NHE to forego the ‘no work, no pay’ condition. The union also gave up on its 7% salary hike demand.
NHE, however, rejected the proposal to forego the strike condition.
“The employer will not forego the ‘no work, no pay’ principle as this is an agreed-upon strike rule and was never a negotiable item,” Mukulu said.
Money would also be deducted from employees over a four-month period for the strike condition, he noted.
Not possible
For the 2022/23 financial year, Mukulu informed the union that the NHE would not be able to accord employees a salary hike.
“Consequently, the employer is not able to increase the remuneration in line with inflation. Additionally, the employer is not able to pay employees a back pay of eight months for the 2022/23 financial year.”
The striking NHE workers initially demanded that their remuneration be increased by 7% across the board as well as a housing allowance increment of 5% and transport allowance increment of N$25.
They also wanted the proposed increments to be backdated by 12 months in order to cover the 2021/2022 financial year.
The entity has also offered to dispense loans to its employees who are engaged in the strike and have been affected by its ‘no work, no pay’ condition.
“Management has a mandate to give a once-off payment of N$5 000 to the employees in the bargaining unit for the 2021/22 financial year. This translates to N$525 000,” NHE CEO Gisbertus Mukulu said in a proposal to the Public Service Union of Namibia (PSUN).
N$5 000 is a final offer from the board for the 2021/2022 financial year, he added.
The union sought a once-off payment of N$10 000 to end the strike and requested the NHE to forego the ‘no work, no pay’ condition. The union also gave up on its 7% salary hike demand.
NHE, however, rejected the proposal to forego the strike condition.
“The employer will not forego the ‘no work, no pay’ principle as this is an agreed-upon strike rule and was never a negotiable item,” Mukulu said.
Money would also be deducted from employees over a four-month period for the strike condition, he noted.
Not possible
For the 2022/23 financial year, Mukulu informed the union that the NHE would not be able to accord employees a salary hike.
“Consequently, the employer is not able to increase the remuneration in line with inflation. Additionally, the employer is not able to pay employees a back pay of eight months for the 2022/23 financial year.”
The striking NHE workers initially demanded that their remuneration be increased by 7% across the board as well as a housing allowance increment of 5% and transport allowance increment of N$25.
They also wanted the proposed increments to be backdated by 12 months in order to cover the 2021/2022 financial year.
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