Today the strike entered its third day.

Workers waving placards and picketing at the mine's main entrance vowed to continue with the industrial action until the company gave in to their demands.

They demand a wage hike of 14 per cent while the company has offered a 10 per cent increase.

The last wage increase of seven per cent was in October 2005.

Since then there has been no wage increase for the workers, The Namibian was informed.

The wage negotiations began in October last year.

The workers also want housing and transport allowances and overtime payment for working on weekends and holidays.

The Rosh Pinah branch chairman of the Mineworkers' Union of Namibia, Michaeleno Kadhikwa, yesterday described the atmosphere at the mine as "tense".

"The company management called Police reinforcement under false pretences that workers had become violent instead focusing on the wage talks to find an amicable solution," he said.

"At the moment no wage talks are ongoing," Kadhikwa said late yesterday afternoon.

He accused the company of violating an agreement on whether to allow contract workers to perform core functions at the mine during the strike.

According to Kadhikwa, it was agreed that only permanent workers would be allowed to perform the core duties.

The company has broken padlocks that the union had put up to control contract workers' movements into the mine, he said.

"Now they [the company] called in Police reinforcements under the guise that workers are violent to cover up for violating an agreement with the aim to allow contract workers into the company premises to perform the core functions at the mine," Kadhikwa said angrily.

"We're not here to entertain violence, but to negotiate in good faith," he added.

Skorpion Zinc Communications Manager Usi Hoebeb yesterday declined to comment.

"We cannot comment while negotiations are on," he said.

Skorpion Zinc exports its products to Europe, Asia and South Africa.

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