Union wants non-compliant retailers to go
The Namibia Wholesale and Retail Workers Union (NWRWU) has demanded that the minister of labour call retailers that exploit workers to order.
The union claims that large companies with huge turnovers are employing casual workers without any benefits.
It also blames labour institutions of serving the needs of the employers instead of protecting their fellow countrymen and women.
“We demand that the minister of labour use his political power to gather all employers in the sector as a matter of urgency and pass on orders of compliance or order them to leave,” NWRWU secretary-general Victor Hamunyela told journalists.
“We demand that labour institutions be overhauled so that they can be empowered to address this huge exploitation and casualisation of jobs,” Hamunyela said.
He said the union was fed up with labour organisations that allowed employers in the retail and wholesale sector to “get away with murder”.
“Gone are the days that unions were viewed as institutions to fight for bread-and-butter issues. We equally want to form part and influence changes that have direct bearing on the lives of Namibian workers.”
Hamunyela referred to institutions such as the Labour Advisory Council, Committee for Dispute Resolution, Wage Commission, Labour Court, Labour Commissioner and Labour Inspectorate established under Chapter 9 of the Labour Act of 2007
“Despite the provisions of the legislation there is little if anything that specifically the Labour Advisory Council, Labour Inspectorate, Wage Commissions and Labour Commissioner are doing to assist the Namibian worker,” Hamunyela charged.
He said in neighbouring South Africa, where most of the large retailers have their headquarters, a national minimum wage of R20 per hour was recently adopted. That means that employees in that country earn up to N$3 700 a month, while in Namibia they earn much less, he claimed.
“It's a fact that most retail stores we have in Namibia are the same stores as in South Africa. The owners of these big retail stores comply with this obligation in South Africa and treat our people as slaves here in Namibia and cover up the overhead costs for the minimum wage somewhere elsewhere,” Hamunyela said.
“This government is obliged in terms of Article 95 of the supreme law to have workers paid decent salaries,” he said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
The union claims that large companies with huge turnovers are employing casual workers without any benefits.
It also blames labour institutions of serving the needs of the employers instead of protecting their fellow countrymen and women.
“We demand that the minister of labour use his political power to gather all employers in the sector as a matter of urgency and pass on orders of compliance or order them to leave,” NWRWU secretary-general Victor Hamunyela told journalists.
“We demand that labour institutions be overhauled so that they can be empowered to address this huge exploitation and casualisation of jobs,” Hamunyela said.
He said the union was fed up with labour organisations that allowed employers in the retail and wholesale sector to “get away with murder”.
“Gone are the days that unions were viewed as institutions to fight for bread-and-butter issues. We equally want to form part and influence changes that have direct bearing on the lives of Namibian workers.”
Hamunyela referred to institutions such as the Labour Advisory Council, Committee for Dispute Resolution, Wage Commission, Labour Court, Labour Commissioner and Labour Inspectorate established under Chapter 9 of the Labour Act of 2007
“Despite the provisions of the legislation there is little if anything that specifically the Labour Advisory Council, Labour Inspectorate, Wage Commissions and Labour Commissioner are doing to assist the Namibian worker,” Hamunyela charged.
He said in neighbouring South Africa, where most of the large retailers have their headquarters, a national minimum wage of R20 per hour was recently adopted. That means that employees in that country earn up to N$3 700 a month, while in Namibia they earn much less, he claimed.
“It's a fact that most retail stores we have in Namibia are the same stores as in South Africa. The owners of these big retail stores comply with this obligation in South Africa and treat our people as slaves here in Namibia and cover up the overhead costs for the minimum wage somewhere elsewhere,” Hamunyela said.
“This government is obliged in terms of Article 95 of the supreme law to have workers paid decent salaries,” he said.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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