Furncity outlets close down

ELLERINES Holdings Limited has started closing some of its Furncity furniture shops in the country, barely two months after it closed another in the Windhoek city centre and promised not to shut down more.

Although the company has not officially confirmed the closures, The Namibian has witnessed workers at the Independence Avenue shop packing up this week. The Metal and Allied Workers’ Union (Manwu) has also confirmed that the company is closing down some of its shops and transferring employees to Beares and Ellerines outlets.Employees The Namibian spoke to expressed fears about the repercussions of being transferred to another furniture shop even though its under the same holding company.They said their pension funds would also be transferred but that they would lose their pension money if they resign from the other shop.They alleged that the salaries being offered to them at other shops under the same ownership were lower, indirectly forcing them to resign and reducing their pension pay-out.Another worker from Oshakati, where the company intended to close down two shops, said they were still negotiating with the company.The Regional Director for Namibia, Dewald Ludike, was in Oshakati last week to negotiate with the employees.He did not respond to messages left by The Namibian.Last year, the holding company cited problems with the lease agreement of a shop in the Windhoek city centre as the reason for closing it.Ellerines Holdings Limited owns Ellerines, Furncity, Oxford and Royal Furniture.The Metal and Allied Workers’ Union (Manwu) has also confirmed that the company is closing down some of its shops and transferring employees to Beares and Ellerines outlets.Employees The Namibian spoke to expressed fears about the repercussions of being transferred to another furniture shop even though its under the same holding company.They said their pension funds would also be transferred but that they would lose their pension money if they resign from the other shop.They alleged that the salaries being offered to them at other shops under the same ownership were lower, indirectly forcing them to resign and reducing their pension pay-out.Another worker from Oshakati, where the company intended to close down two shops, said they were still negotiating with the company.The Regional Director for Namibia, Dewald Ludike, was in Oshakati last week to negotiate with the employees.He did not respond to messages left by The Namibian.Last year, the holding company cited problems with the lease agreement of a shop in the Windhoek city centre as the reason for closing it.Ellerines Holdings Limited owns Ellerines, Furncity, Oxford and Royal Furniture.