Gem cutters stage one-day strike

ABOUT 26 workers at Hard Stone Processing in Windhoek on Tuesday downed tools to protest against the retrenchment of their two colleagues.

The workers claimed that the diamond-cutting company did not follow correct retrenchment procedures and were demanding their reinstatement. They were also demanding salary increases, claiming that they had not received a raise in four years.Approached for comment, Mineworkers Union of Namibia General Secretary Joseph Hengari said he was not aware of the work stoppage.He said the Mineworkers’ Union had tried several times to negotiate retrenchment packages for the two workers.According to him, the company management had refused to discuss the matter.Hengari said the workers’ demands for salary increases had been referred to the Office of the Labour Commissioner for mediation, were it got stuck.”If there is somebody to be blamed on this one, it is the Office of the Labour Commissioner,” he told The Namibian.In a statement issued on Tuesday, Hard Stone Processing said the strike was illegal.It said the company was willing to listen to the concerns of employees, but only under “appropriate conditions”.”The company retains the right to take any action it deems necessary to both compensate it for the consequent financial losses and reprimand any employee for breaking company policies, the Recognition Agreement and the Namibian Labour Act of 1992,” the company said.The workers have since gone back to work but insist that their demands should be met by the company.They were also demanding salary increases, claiming that they had not received a raise in four years.Approached for comment, Mineworkers Union of Namibia General Secretary Joseph Hengari said he was not aware of the work stoppage.He said the Mineworkers’ Union had tried several times to negotiate retrenchment packages for the two workers.According to him, the company management had refused to discuss the matter.Hengari said the workers’ demands for salary increases had been referred to the Office of the Labour Commissioner for mediation, were it got stuck.”If there is somebody to be blamed on this one, it is the Office of the Labour Commissioner,” he told The Namibian.In a statement issued on Tuesday, Hard Stone Processing said the strike was illegal.It said the company was willing to listen to the concerns of employees, but only under “appropriate conditions”.”The company retains the right to take any action it deems necessary to both compensate it for the consequent financial losses and reprimand any employee for breaking company policies, the Recognition Agreement and the Namibian Labour Act of 1992,” the company said.The workers have since gone back to work but insist that their demands should be met by the company.

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