Gendev workers back at work after 28-day strike

Workers at Gendev Group returned to work on Friday after an agreement was signed between the company and the Namibian Seamen and Allied Workers Union (NASAWU), bringing a 28-day strike to an end.

The agreement, which is effective from 3 August until 31 December 2027, provides workers with improved wages, allowances, annual benefits and protection during periods when production is disrupted.

NASAWU president Paulus Hango said workers “are very happy, and everybody is happy”.

Under the agreement, general workers will receive a basic monthly salary of N$6 060 for 195 hours worked per month, based on the 195-hour monthly calculation provided for under the Labour Act.

Employees will also receive a N$1 000 housing allowance and a once-off transport allowance of N$910 each December.

The agreement provides for an annual bonus equivalent to 50% of a worker’s salary, payable in December, as well as long-service payments based on years of service.

Workers will have access to company transport, with one bus operating during the day and two at night. The company will also provide protective equipment appropriate to employees’ duties and working environments.

Other benefits include 10 kg of horse mackerel three times a year and a once-off payment of N$2 600 in August 2026.

Hango said the agreement also protects workers during periods of maintenance or temporary shutdowns. Any reduction in pay during such a period may not exceed three months unless an extension is agreed upon between the union and the company.

“Happy workers are good for the community. It brings peace and unity among the community, the workers and management,” he said.

Gendev Group acting general manager Deon Grunschloss acknowledged that the negotiations and strike had been difficult.

“It wasn't easy, I can tell you that. It wasn't nice for us to see the workers sleeping in the street,” he said.

One worker, Robert Kengele, fell ill after spending several days camping outside the company’s premises during the strike in Walvis Bay. He later returned home to recover but subsequently died.

Grunschloss called for cooperation between management, workers, the union and the Erongo governor’s office to secure sufficient fishing quota for the company.