Salini, workers must get house in order - ministry

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry says the strike at the Neckartal Dam project costs the country more than N$2 million per day.
Workers at the project went on strike on Monday, demanding the dismissal of the manager of industrial relations, Michael Kadikwa.
They also complained about alleged salary discrepancies between people with similar qualifications, health and safety issues due to exposure to excessive dust, and promotions done without salary increases.
The acting permanent secretary of the agriculture ministry, Sophia Kasheeta, said in a circular to Salini Impregilo (the main contractor on the dam project), Knight Piésold (consulting engineering firm) and the workers that they must work together as a team to resolve any labour disputes in compliance with the country’s laws.
“The government cannot, may not and shall not compromise on the quality of as well as the value for money of the project,” Kasheeta said of the more than N$2 billion construction project.
Theophilus Frederick, the chairperson of the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (MANWU) shop stewards at the project, yesterday said workers would continue with the strike until Salini was prepared to negotiate with them.
He also denied that the strike was illegal, as was claimed by Salini, adding that the company had so far not attempted to negotiate with the workers.
The secretary to the shop stewards, Emmie Jansen, however, said the management of Salini was in fact negotiating with MANWU. The union had requested a meeting with the company on 20 June.
Jansen said Salini had cancelled a meeting with workers scheduled for 12:00 yesterday and vowed to only meet with them if they returned to work.
The workers for their part refused to return to work until the Salini management met with them.
The spokesperson of Salini, Gilles René Castonguay, yesterday said he had no comment at this stage.
The secretary-general of the Nama Traditional Leaders Association, Lazarus Kairabeb, yesterday handed over a memorandum to Salini which he had written to lands minister John Mutorwa earlier this month.
In this memorandum Kaibrabeb set out complaints by Namibian subcontractors about Salini’s alleged non-compliance with contractual agreements.
The subcontractors complained that Salini was abusing its position as main contractor by “tardy payments”, summary suspensions of contracts and delays to sign proper contracts.
CATHERINE SASMAN