Rosh Pinah workers to strike

The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) yesterday announced its intention to embark on a strike at the Rosh Pinah zinc mine after a majority of workers in the bargaining unit voted in favour of industrial action. MUN regional organiser Elvis Bekele told Namibian Sun that a strike ballot was held on Tuesday after the union and the mine management failed to reach agreement on wage negotiations on February 11. At a meeting between the two parties last week, the union’s members rejected the mine’s offer to increase salaries by 5%. MUN demanded a 12.5% salary increase across the board. Rosh Pinah Zinc Mine has 369 employees, 290 of them in the bargaining unit. According to Bekele, 279 workers voted in favour of a strike, 10 voted against and one ballot was spoiled. The union and management met yesterday morning to agree on strike and picketing rules, after which a strike notice was to be served on the company. Earlier this month, MUN levelled allegations of racism and discrimination against the Rosh Pinah zinc mine after it emerged that its top management included only one black person. In a petition dated February 9, MUN said the mine management was 99.9% white, which “indicated discrimination against and victimisation of black people”. The MUN also claimed that white people in the engineering department earned bigger salaries than black employees. An email with questions sent to company spokesperson Kondje Kaulinge was not returned before going to print. Although Kaulinge spoke briefly to Namibian Sun in the morning before attending the meeting with the union, he did not give an official comment about the planned strike. MERJA IILEKA