Gendev workers demand full pay, job security

Employees of the Gendev Fishing Group at Walvis Bay have demanded to be reinstated on full work programmes, following three months of being without work.

On Monday employees demonstrated outside the companies, which is one of the oldest comapnies at the coastal town.

Aina Nampweya, who read a petition on behalf of approximately 700 affected workers, voiced a number of concerns including allegations of partially paid salaries, unpaid housing benefits and a lack of clarity on future employment.

Nampweya said employees are also unhappy with their pension funds, alleging that the company has favoured management.

“The general workers’ pension fund is administered by Old Mutual. The company contributed only 2.5% to our fund for all those years. The contribution was only changed in November 2024 to seven percent. As a result, many workers will retire with not enough pension savings. The management has a separate and better pension fund with Alexander Forbes, of which the company contributes seven percent.”

The employees thus demand that their pension fund also be transferred to Alexander Forbes.

The employees also demand to return to work on a full-time basis, permanent contracts for all cleaners, quality control officers and white fish employees, while they also want the company to replace its quality manager.

Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union president Paulus Hango noted that labour unrest among workers would persist as long as there is no proper engagement.

“The unions have been trying to engage with the management to ensure the continuity of fish products, but the quota which they get is not enough to process fish in the factory. The regulation in catching fish within the 200-metre isobath is also a challenge to the company. There is a need for a sufficient quota to be allocated to the company to be able to employ people and add value to products. The workers are just told to wait for the minister to give a response or find a solution. We want to engage with the ministry to see how the issue can be solved, hopefully within the next two weeks,” he said.

The company management was given five days to respond to the petition.

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