Ex-United Fishing workers issue 72-hour ultimatum

Former United Fishing Enterprises workers, backed by the Mining, Metal, Maritime and Construction Workers Union, have given the government a 72-hour ultimatum after submitting a petition calling for urgent intervention over years of unemployment following the 2016 pilchard moratorium.

The union’s general secretary, Joseph Garoeb, warned on Tuesday: “If the ministry fails to respond within 72 hours, we will have no choice but to take matters into our own hands and demonstrate from Walvis Bay to the ministry’s head office in Windhoek.”

The petition was submitted to the fisheries ministry in Walvis Bay, calling for urgent intervention after nearly a decade of unemployment following the company’s closure.

The company was established in 1986 and was among Namibia’s oldest fish canning operations before independence.

According to the petition, approximately 95% of employees were previously employed on a seasonal basis, with only 5% holding permanent positions.

Spokesperson for the group, Lahya Hangula, said a lack of intervention has left many workers and their families in a desperate situation.

“We have knocked on every government door for years, but no solution has been provided. Our people are suffering, our homes are breaking apart, and our children are unable to continue their education,” Hangula said.

A fight for livelihoods

She said many families were now living in severe poverty and struggling to meet basic needs.

The group is calling for fishing quotas to be allocated to companies willing to employ them under fair and secure working conditions, including job security, social protection and the right to organise.

The former workers proposed that, while pilchard fishing remains under moratorium, alternative species such as horse mackerel or hake be allocated for processing to revive employment opportunities within their sector.

“We are not asking for handouts. We are asking for the opportunity to work again and provide for our families with dignity,” Hangula added.

The workers also questioned their exclusion from government’s redressing programme, noting that United Fishing was part of the Namsov Group of Companies.

Among their concerns, the group questioned why Etosha Fishing Corporation (Pty) Ltd received quotas in 2018 under the same moratorium, while United Fishing workers were excluded despite operating in the same industry.

They have called for clarity on the lack of response from the fisheries and labour ministries over the past decade and are seeking back pay, citing years of financial hardship.

Hangula highlighted the dissatisfaction of the workers with what they described as a lack of balanced engagement between government, employers and employees. “All we want is fairness. Employers and Government cannot be comfortable while workers continue to suffer. We need urgent answers and practical solutions,” Hangula said.