MUN blamed for diamond impasse

By: DENVER ISAACS

A VISIT to the office of the President by representatives of Lev Leviev Diamonds Namibia last week ended with the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) and its Secretary General Joseph Hengari being singled out as the main cause of the troubles currently facing 250 workers fired from the company last week.

Top management of LLD on Thursday afternoon visited the office of

President Hifikepunye Pohamba, along with the Labour and Diamond

Commissioners, to brief him on the month-long protest that

continues in front of their gates despite the company's recent

decision to dismiss the workers.

During the meeting, it is understood that both the Permanent

Secretary of Labour, Ulitala Hiveluah, and Labour Commissioner

Bro-Matthew Shinguadja accused the union of trying to hamper

attempts to reach a solution to the conflict between the company

and the former workers.

 

According to the minutes of the meeting, Hiveluah accused

Hengari of lying during negotiations, backtracking on agreements

reached during talks, and misinforming the workers he represents -

a move they said forced the company's hand in dismissing the

workers.

 

The workers have been camping outside the company premises in

Windhoek's Northern Industrial Area since mid-June after walking

out of negotiations over wages and other demands they had.

 

According to the workers, they were frustrated with the

company's legal representative constantly delaying their talks, and

embarked on a wildcat strike.

 

The company followed this by suspending the workers involved,

but later withdrew this decision - calling on the workers to return

to work and face disciplinary action.

 

When most of the workers failed to accept this invitation by the

beginning of June, the company started disciplinary action against

them and subsequently dismissed all who did not show up.

 

The workers, with the help of the union, are appealing this

decision.

 

They argue that they still consider themselves on suspension,

and thus they were not guilty of a strike but merely a

demonstration.

 

At Thursday's meeting, Shinguadja apparently told President

Pohamba that, because of the workers' illegal actions at the

instigation of their leaders, there could have been no other

outcome.

 

As Government agencies, he said, neither commission could allow

itself to be associated with any illegal actions without addressing

them.

 

Diamond Commissioner Kennedy Hamutenya is said to have

complained to the President that the MUN was not the right union to

govern the diamond cutting and polishing industry, saying that they

mainly concern themselves with making outrageous demands.

 

The industry in Namibia was still in its infant stages, he said,

and was bringing in a very low profit, especially when compared to

India and China.

 

The Diamond Commissioner urged Government to get involved in

rescuing the industry, which it said might soon be forced to close

down.

 

The company has expressed disappointment over the size of

diamonds supplied to them for polishing, saying this could not

sustain its current workforce.

 

Demonstrators spoken to last week on the other hand expressed

their displeasure with the Labour Commissioner, who they went to

see on Wednesday.

 

According to group spokesperson Mathew Mtembi, Shinguadja was

taking the side of the company rather than remaining impartial.

 

"He says we (leaders) should be punished more severely, because

we instigated this thing.

 

How could we? We're just seeing that what the people want is

done.

 

If we did nothing, the workers would attack us and blame us if

something happened to them," he said.

 

"They (company) want us to down our tents and go home.

 

But we won't, because we know then they would phone us

individually.

 

Even now, they're planning on doing the appeals individually,

but we're saying no.

 

We are here as a joint group," Mtembi said, adding that the

company apparently wanted to get rid of certain workers while

retaining others.

 

Today marks day 26 of the workers protest outside the

factory.

 

During the meeting, it is understood that both the Permanent

Secretary of Labour, Ulitala Hiveluah, and Labour Commissioner

Bro-Matthew Shinguadja accused the union of trying to hamper

attempts to reach a solution to the conflict between the company

and the former workers.According to the minutes of the meeting,

Hiveluah accused Hengari of lying during negotiations, backtracking

on agreements reached during talks, and misinforming the workers he

represents - a move they said forced the company's hand in

dismissing the workers.The workers have been camping outside the

company premises in Windhoek's Northern Industrial Area since

mid-June after walking out of negotiations over wages and other

demands they had.According to the workers, they were frustrated

with the company's legal representative constantly delaying their

talks, and embarked on a wildcat strike.The company followed this

by suspending the workers involved, but later withdrew this

decision - calling on the workers to return to work and face

disciplinary action.When most of the workers failed to accept this

invitation by the beginning of June, the company started

disciplinary action against them and subsequently dismissed all who

did not show up.The workers, with the help of the union, are

appealing this decision.They argue that they still consider

themselves on suspension, and thus they were not guilty of a strike

but merely a demonstration.At Thursday's meeting, Shinguadja

apparently told President Pohamba that, because of the workers'

illegal actions at the instigation of their leaders, there could

have been no other outcome.As Government agencies, he said, neither

commission could allow itself to be associated with any illegal

actions without addressing them.Diamond Commissioner Kennedy

Hamutenya is said to have complained to the President that the MUN

was not the right union to govern the diamond cutting and polishing

industry, saying that they mainly concern themselves with making

outrageous demands.The industry in Namibia was still in its infant

stages, he said, and was bringing in a very low profit, especially

when compared to India and China.The Diamond Commissioner urged

Government to get involved in rescuing the industry, which it said

might soon be forced to close down.The company has expressed

disappointment over the size of diamonds supplied to them for

polishing, saying this could not sustain its current

workforce.Demonstrators spoken to last week on the other hand

expressed their displeasure with the Labour Commissioner, who they

went to see on Wednesday.According to group spokesperson Mathew

Mtembi, Shinguadja was taking the side of the company rather than

remaining impartial."He says we (leaders) should be punished more

severely, because we instigated this thing.How could we? We're just

seeing that what the people want is done.If we did nothing, the

workers would attack us and blame us if something happened to

them," he said."They (company) want us to down our tents and go

home.But we won't, because we know then they would phone us

individually.Even now, they're planning on doing the appeals

individually, but we're saying no.We are here as a joint group,"

Mtembi said, adding that the company apparently wanted to get rid

of certain workers while retaining others.Today marks day 26 of the

workers protest outside the factory.

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