Unions lash Esau
The annual address by fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau saw unions raise hard-hitting questions about the industry's state of affairs.
The retrenchment of workers in the pilchard fishing industry is a massive concern for the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna), said union president Paulus Hango.
The pilchard industry employed thousands of workers and Hango pointed out that many employees at United Fishing and Etosha Fishing were retrenched in 2017.
He made these remarks at the annual address of the minister of fisheries, Bernhardt Esau, to the industry in Walvis Bay on Friday.
“We expect more employees to be retrenched at Etosha Fishing this year. Something needs to be done to save jobs. The ministry did not allocate a pilchard quota this year and due to an imposed moratorium, this will stay the same for the next three years.”
Esau confirmed that Namibia was facing a challenge with regard to its pilchard fishery, which on average represents about 3% of marine landings and whose stocks declined in recent years, necessitating the three-year moratorium.
Hango said the management of United and Etosha submitted a proposal to the ministry requesting a horse mackerel quota to save jobs, since some of the fish will be processed in their canneries in order to create permanent employment.
He also proposed that the minister allocate horse mackerel quotas in full consultation with trade unions, adding some companies exploit the situation to make money under the pretence of creating jobs. Hango further emphasised that the accommodation of fishing industry workers was another thorny issue that needed to be addressed.
“This issue should not be seen a government or municipal problem alone. It needs to be addressed by all stakeholders.”
He pointed out that approximately 70% of workers in the fishing industry did not have proper accommodation.
“Most of these employees are sleeping in accommodation made of pallets and plastic. Many are living in backyard shacks. They don't have proper ablution facilities and at times more than 20 people share one toilet. School-going children are also affected.”
He suggested that the ministry give fishing rights and quotas to a workers' trust fund and that the money from the fund could be used to construct proper houses. He also requested that the municipality donate and sell land for the purpose of constructing homes for fishermen.
“We will come up with plan and proposal to address the housing problem for the workers in Walvis Bay. The fishing industry makes billions of dollars every year and some of this money needs to be invested in accommodating our members employed in fishing.”
He condemned the practice of outsourcing and the employment of subcontractors to offload fishing vessels, clean fish factories and provide security.
“These employees are abused by the subcontractors. They work long hours, are paid very low salaries and have no benefits such as pension fund and medical aid. We demand that companies directly employ security guards or that the government ensure these companies full comply with the minimum wage that was gazetted.” Taapopi Shikongo of the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) said workers earned peanuts despite the fact that the industry is amongst the largest in the country.
He proposed that the ministry allocate fishing rights to workers via the companies that employ them.
“Fishing rights should also be allocated directly to marginalised communities in order to enable all Namibians to benefit from marine resources.” Shikongo also alerted the minister about oil dumping by fishing vessel owners.
“This is killing the resource and we call on your office to act. Those who provided us with this information fear that they will be victimised.”
The president of the Namibian Fishing Industries (NFI) Union, Daniel Imbili, questioned the minister about the fact that Fishcor, which does not employ fishermen or have vessels, receives an 87 000-ton quota and said that contributed to retrenchments at other companies.
“We have a situation which concerns 75 experienced but jobless fishermen and ten Namibian officers. Can we have a guarantee that when Fishcor comes into operation these personnel will be accommodated?”
Imbili also called on the minister to prevent new rights holders from recruiting foreigners for joint ventures at the expense of local companies.
He further questioned the role of the advisory council to the minister and accused the body of being silent and not visible at all.
“Some of those serving on the council are of no assistance to the fishing industry. We do not understand what roles some of the council members play. We have well experienced locals who can do a much better job.”
OTIS FINCK
The pilchard industry employed thousands of workers and Hango pointed out that many employees at United Fishing and Etosha Fishing were retrenched in 2017.
He made these remarks at the annual address of the minister of fisheries, Bernhardt Esau, to the industry in Walvis Bay on Friday.
“We expect more employees to be retrenched at Etosha Fishing this year. Something needs to be done to save jobs. The ministry did not allocate a pilchard quota this year and due to an imposed moratorium, this will stay the same for the next three years.”
Esau confirmed that Namibia was facing a challenge with regard to its pilchard fishery, which on average represents about 3% of marine landings and whose stocks declined in recent years, necessitating the three-year moratorium.
Hango said the management of United and Etosha submitted a proposal to the ministry requesting a horse mackerel quota to save jobs, since some of the fish will be processed in their canneries in order to create permanent employment.
He also proposed that the minister allocate horse mackerel quotas in full consultation with trade unions, adding some companies exploit the situation to make money under the pretence of creating jobs. Hango further emphasised that the accommodation of fishing industry workers was another thorny issue that needed to be addressed.
“This issue should not be seen a government or municipal problem alone. It needs to be addressed by all stakeholders.”
He pointed out that approximately 70% of workers in the fishing industry did not have proper accommodation.
“Most of these employees are sleeping in accommodation made of pallets and plastic. Many are living in backyard shacks. They don't have proper ablution facilities and at times more than 20 people share one toilet. School-going children are also affected.”
He suggested that the ministry give fishing rights and quotas to a workers' trust fund and that the money from the fund could be used to construct proper houses. He also requested that the municipality donate and sell land for the purpose of constructing homes for fishermen.
“We will come up with plan and proposal to address the housing problem for the workers in Walvis Bay. The fishing industry makes billions of dollars every year and some of this money needs to be invested in accommodating our members employed in fishing.”
He condemned the practice of outsourcing and the employment of subcontractors to offload fishing vessels, clean fish factories and provide security.
“These employees are abused by the subcontractors. They work long hours, are paid very low salaries and have no benefits such as pension fund and medical aid. We demand that companies directly employ security guards or that the government ensure these companies full comply with the minimum wage that was gazetted.” Taapopi Shikongo of the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) said workers earned peanuts despite the fact that the industry is amongst the largest in the country.
He proposed that the ministry allocate fishing rights to workers via the companies that employ them.
“Fishing rights should also be allocated directly to marginalised communities in order to enable all Namibians to benefit from marine resources.” Shikongo also alerted the minister about oil dumping by fishing vessel owners.
“This is killing the resource and we call on your office to act. Those who provided us with this information fear that they will be victimised.”
The president of the Namibian Fishing Industries (NFI) Union, Daniel Imbili, questioned the minister about the fact that Fishcor, which does not employ fishermen or have vessels, receives an 87 000-ton quota and said that contributed to retrenchments at other companies.
“We have a situation which concerns 75 experienced but jobless fishermen and ten Namibian officers. Can we have a guarantee that when Fishcor comes into operation these personnel will be accommodated?”
Imbili also called on the minister to prevent new rights holders from recruiting foreigners for joint ventures at the expense of local companies.
He further questioned the role of the advisory council to the minister and accused the body of being silent and not visible at all.
“Some of those serving on the council are of no assistance to the fishing industry. We do not understand what roles some of the council members play. We have well experienced locals who can do a much better job.”
OTIS FINCK
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