G4S guards shoot from the hip

EMPLOYEES of Group 4 Securicor (G4S) plan to take to the streets today in an attempt to force their employers to listen to their grievances.

According to Namibia Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Natau) organiser Willem Boois, a labour dispute was declared earlier this week after G4S management did not turn up for a meeting to resolve ‘issues that have been coming on since last year’.Boois said the more than 150 employees of the company have had it with poor salaries, no medical aid and no pension fund.Speaking through a representative, G4S managing director Dries Kannemeyer said he was not aware of the intended strike. Kannemeyer was not available for further comment as he was said to be in a meeting.G4S has branches in Windhoek, Rosh Pinah, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.On the eve of Workers’ Day last year, employees submitted a petition to Kannemeyer, calling on management to address a number of grievances including the lack of medical aid and pension funds, vacancies not being advertised, a lack of ‘proper contracts’, ‘no salary increments’, a lack of job descriptions as well as ‘promises made at meetings but not converted to reality’. Furthermore, the security guards claimed that there are no salary structures, all management positions are occupied by whites and that there is no affirmative action structure.The workers also alleged that the armed response unit is understaffed and that no union deductions are made. Upon enquiry, acting labour commissioner Tuulikki Shikongo said she was aware of the dispute but did not know that they were planning a work stoppage today.

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