Workers say boss calls them goats

Nomhle Kangootui

WE ARE NOT GOATS ... Ruusa Shangula is one of the employees who are unhappy with the way their employer Vladi Ryvkine allegedly call them names when they want to meet and talk to him about poor salaries.

Photograph by Henry Van Rooi

More Chicken sells live chickens and eggs along the streets of Greenwell Matongo, Hakahana, Shandumbala, Okuryangava, Havana and Single Quarters in Windhoek.

One of the employees Ruusa Shangula, who is based in Greenwell Matongo, said she is very unhappy with their working conditions.

“We start work at 5h00 in the morning. Sometimes we start even earlier and work until 16h00. We are paid only N$500 and when we raise our concerns, our boss calls us names saying he doesn’t have time to meet with goats. What does that mean? Don’t we deserve to be listened to? Even if you are sick or your child is not well and you want leave you have to pay the person who will stand in for you,” Shangula claimed.

Another employee, Foibe Nangolo shared the same sentiments saying, “We are so scared of him that most people don’t talk but we are good workers. We do our job faithfully.”

Nangolo further claimed that their employer, Vladi Ryvkine, usually brings more than 30 chickens and eggs per day for them to sell.

“We are making a lot of money for him but he doesn’t treat us like human beings. We are breadwinners and N$500 doesn’t buy much these days. We need help,” Nangolo said.

Ryvkine was not happy when called for comment on Monday saying he does not deal with such issues.

“What do you want to know? I will not talk to you. Maybe you are lying, you are the union people,” Ryvkine charged.

He, however, gave The Namibian the name of a woman whom he said was dealing with the issue. The woman said she would call back but by yesterday, she had not.

Trade Union Congress of Namibia’s Mahongora Kavihuha said that kind of behaviour by employers is unacceptable.

“That is why our union is here to help and represent informal workers. They are not benefiting from social security. They sometimes hardly have any contract. As a result, they are not treated fairly and this is a growing concern,” he said.

“We have a workshop until 8 August to educate and assist informal workers to know their rights. We call on the people who are treated in this manner to approach our officers or the Ministry of Labour.”

Studies done by Herbert Jauch for the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI) says the Namibian government - as well as trade unions – should demonstrate that they are serious in defending the rights of the workers and demonstrate to all companies that labour laws and regulations as well as workers’ rights are not negotiable.