Trade Unions Stay Away
I FOUND three interesting issues in the response of unionist Cuana Angula (The Namibian 15 February 2013) to Jackson Mwalundange’s article [‘Namibian Civil Society And The Economic Rationale’, 8 February 2013].
Angula indicated that MUN [Mineworkers Union of Namibia] never died in its 26 years of existence. Mwalundange never claimed it had. He said the union vanished or moved away from the workers after the closure of the TCL mine. Secondly, in his letter, the union leader did not deal with the issues Mwalundange raised, particularly the intervention of the unions at TCL, Ramatex, Rhino Garments, and others that led to mass job losses. The long history of the Tsumeb mine he wrote has nothing to do with Mwalundange’s issues.
Thirdly, by questioning Mwalundange’s continuing involvement with the Nangof Trust, Angula showed that he is still at the level of blind loyalty where one cannot question the behaviour of an entity to which one belongs. No wonder the unionists put on uniforms, berets, and coloured scarves when they are at their congresses – a sign of regimentation and loss of autonomy!
I and my family are victims of the actions of the unions at the Tsumeb Corporation Ltd (TCL) and Ramatex. My uncle, the only breadwinner in the extended family, worked at TCL and was supporting us. He lost his job after the MUN organised strike that led to the closure of the mine. We lost income and support. MUN vanished!
My sister and I left school to look for work. I found a job in a bar at Oshakati for a monthly salary of N$350. Years later, I moved to Oshikango for N$500 job. I supported my sister, her child, and mine. My sister secured a job at Ramatex for N$850, after she finished her training phase. She built herself a kambashu (shack) at Havana informal settlement and collected our two children to live with her. It was a relief.
The unions organised a strike at Ramatex. My uncle was angry but powerless. Ramatex closed down. The unions vanished! My sister sold the shack and returned home, and added more pressure on my N$500. Later, she got a N$600 job at an EPZ company at Oshikango.
We are happy again and the family is relieved, but, as my uncle believes, only as long as Angula and his unions stay away.
Kaunapawa Andreas
Oshikango