Taxi drivers want legal protection
Taxi drivers in Windhoek yesterday demonstrated for the second day in front of the labour ministry in an effort to make their demands heard.
The Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) already started demonstrations on Monday during which they also handed a petition to the ministry saying that taxi drivers in Namibia are being subjected to slave-like conditions.
The president of the union, Werner Januarie, said that they will continue with the demonstrations until their demands are met.
Januarie told Namibian Sun yesterday that the demonstrations are taking place throughout the day and will continue today (Thursday), if they do not receive feedback on their demands by the ministry.
“We have not received any feedback from them yet, but we are hopeful that they will come back to us.”
According to the petition by the NTTU, taxi drivers have to deal with unbecoming behaviour meted out to them by employers on a daily basis as well as the fact that their contributions to society are unappreciated.
“In addition to that, the deplorable conditions under which taxi drivers work are merely imposed on them and they are not given an opportunity to at least negotiate for better terms and conditions of employment,” said Januarie.
According to him employers have become accustomed to mistreating their employees in the industry. He says it is therefore time to vote on a final conclusion as to what percentage of the drivers would like to 'up' their status from independent contractor to being recognised as an employee to enjoy protection under the Labour Act.
Januarie said that the demonstration was the result of resolutions made at a meeting held on 10 March where it was resolved to inform the government that the industry needed improved salaries, and an increase of the driver commission to 40%, which could be turned into a driver's basic salary of N$4 000 monthly.
“We have been at 30% commission for a very long time now and we would like to enjoy improved salaries as well as better working conditions as enjoyed by all other employees in different sectors of the economy.”
He said that another matter of high priority is the issue regarding the implementation of public transport regulations of which the ministry of transport amassed the Rapid Result Strategy.
The implementation was set for 31 January this year but the well-articulated plan has not seen the light of day.
The union urged the labour ministry to liaise with their counterparts at the transport ministry to solicit answers with regard to the implementation.
ELLANIE SMIT
The Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) already started demonstrations on Monday during which they also handed a petition to the ministry saying that taxi drivers in Namibia are being subjected to slave-like conditions.
The president of the union, Werner Januarie, said that they will continue with the demonstrations until their demands are met.
Januarie told Namibian Sun yesterday that the demonstrations are taking place throughout the day and will continue today (Thursday), if they do not receive feedback on their demands by the ministry.
“We have not received any feedback from them yet, but we are hopeful that they will come back to us.”
According to the petition by the NTTU, taxi drivers have to deal with unbecoming behaviour meted out to them by employers on a daily basis as well as the fact that their contributions to society are unappreciated.
“In addition to that, the deplorable conditions under which taxi drivers work are merely imposed on them and they are not given an opportunity to at least negotiate for better terms and conditions of employment,” said Januarie.
According to him employers have become accustomed to mistreating their employees in the industry. He says it is therefore time to vote on a final conclusion as to what percentage of the drivers would like to 'up' their status from independent contractor to being recognised as an employee to enjoy protection under the Labour Act.
Januarie said that the demonstration was the result of resolutions made at a meeting held on 10 March where it was resolved to inform the government that the industry needed improved salaries, and an increase of the driver commission to 40%, which could be turned into a driver's basic salary of N$4 000 monthly.
“We have been at 30% commission for a very long time now and we would like to enjoy improved salaries as well as better working conditions as enjoyed by all other employees in different sectors of the economy.”
He said that another matter of high priority is the issue regarding the implementation of public transport regulations of which the ministry of transport amassed the Rapid Result Strategy.
The implementation was set for 31 January this year but the well-articulated plan has not seen the light of day.
The union urged the labour ministry to liaise with their counterparts at the transport ministry to solicit answers with regard to the implementation.
ELLANIE SMIT
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