Cleaners at Oranjemund on strike

ABOUT 80 workers employed by Epopaleko company, which provides cleaning services to Namdeb in Oranjemund, on Monday went on strike over a pay dispute.

Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) representative Jackie Karumbo said Epopaleko ignored the workers’ written request for wage increments in April. Negotiations started in June following intervention by the office of the Labour Commissioner, but the talks reached a stalemate, said Karumbo. According to Karumbo, the workers have had no wage increases for the past two years. The workers demand a 20 per cent increase for general labourers and a 10 per cent hike for supervisors. In addition, they want fringe benefits such transport, housing and medical allowances. The workers also claim that they have not signed any contract with their employer, although they have been working for the company for over two years.The workers vowed to remain on strike until their demands are met. Karumbo claimed that the company made no offer during the negotiations, and instead requested that the negotiations be postponed until September. The company’s owner, André Oosthuisen, yesterday said Epopaleko could not offer a wage increase before September, when it would renegotiate its contract with Namdeb. ‘Only when we concluded negotiations with Namdeb, can we talk about a wage increase offer,’ said Oosthuisen.Oosthuisen declined to comment on the workers’ demands for housing, transport and medical allowances, claiming talks on these issues had been exhausted. Oosthuisen rejected claims that that his workers do not have employment contracts. ‘That’s a lie. All of them have written employment agreements,’ he said.- luqman@namibian.com.na