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Fish factory turns to court to remove striking workers

Fish factory turns to court to remove striking workers

THE Management of Hangana Seafood factory at Walvis Bay on Friday obtained a court order to remove striking sea-going employees from its premises.

Elias Jonker, Vice President of the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau), told The Namibian on Monday that the strike had continued until around 01h00 when they were ordered off the premises by management. The workers then moved next door to the company premises and continued until 02h00.Jonker said there was no union involvement in the strike by 69 employees of three vessels of Hangana that were not at sea at the time.They were unhappy with backpay that was deposited into their accounts.According to an employee, the workers felt the union had sold them out.In a media release issued on Monday by Ohlthaver & List, on behalf of its subsidiary Hangana, Group Manager:Public Relations, Patrick Hashingola, said that between 20 to 30 workers were striking following the implementation of a resuscitation agreement signed by Nafau and the company on April 6.According to him, the agreement was reached to restore Hangana’s hope of economic survival.It provided for increases in salaries and benefits to be backdated to May 2003.These increases were to be aligned with the average percentage given to employees in the non-bargaining unit.Hashingola told The Namibian that the employees probably only realised the agreement was not so favourable when the first pay-out was made.Jonker charged that the backpay was made without consultation with the union.”We expected to meet with the Labour Commissioner this week to clarify the issue,” he said.He said the company and union agreed on Sunday that the issue would be taken up again with the Labour Commissioner.According to Jonker, the company also informed Nafau that none of the strikers would be fired because of their illegal action.He said all employees were expected to return to work yesterday.On Monday morning, speculation was rife that 60 employees had allegedly been fired.Hashingola said he knew nothing of it.He could also not confirm whether the workers had already returned to work.Hangana expressed disappointment in the “irresponsible” labour action taken by the workers.According to the media release “strikers blocked the company’s main gate, intimidated and threatened fellow employees, and obstructed customers from entering the premises, thus interrupting the company’s daily operation”.A customer of Hangana confirmed that she could not enter the premises on Friday to load a container from the company’s cold storage facility.The union’s Jonker denied allegations that the strikers refused to let members of the company management go home until 22h00 on Friday.He said only the Managing Director and Manager Human Resources stayed late to organise the court order.The workers then moved next door to the company premises and continued until 02h00.Jonker said there was no union involvement in the strike by 69 employees of three vessels of Hangana that were not at sea at the time.They were unhappy with backpay that was deposited into their accounts.According to an employee, the workers felt the union had sold them out.In a media release issued on Monday by Ohlthaver & List, on behalf of its subsidiary Hangana, Group Manager:Public Relations, Patrick Hashingola, said that between 20 to 30 workers were striking following the implementation of a resuscitation agreement signed by Nafau and the company on April 6.According to him, the agreement was reached to restore Hangana’s hope of economic survival.It provided for increases in salaries and benefits to be backdated to May 2003.These increases were to be aligned with the average percentage given to employees in the non-bargaining unit.Hashingola told The Namibian that the employees probably only realised the agreement was not so favourable when the first pay-out was made.Jonker charged that the backpay was made without consultation with the union.”We expected to meet with the Labour Commissioner this week to clarify the issue,” he said.He said the company and union agreed on Sunday that the issue would be taken up again with the Labour Commissioner.According to Jonker, the company also informed Nafau that none of the strikers would be fired because of their illegal action.He said all employees were expected to return to work yesterday.On Monday morning, speculation was rife that 60 employees had allegedly been fired.Hashingola said he knew nothing of it.He could also not confirm whether the workers had already returned to work.Hangana expressed disappointment in the “irresponsible” labour action taken by the workers.According to the media release “strikers blocked the company’s main gate, intimidated and threatened fellow employees, and obstructed customers from entering the premises, thus interrupting the company’s daily operation”.A customer of Hangana confirmed that she could not enter the premises on Friday to load a container from the company’s cold storage facility.The union’s Jonker denied allegations that the strikers refused to let members of the company management go home until 22h00 on Friday.He said only the Managing Director and Manager Human Resources stayed late to organise the court order.

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