Govt gets strict with charcoal producers

EMPLOYERS in the charcoal industry are not living up to their responsibility of looking after their workers but treat charcoal labourers as self-employed or subcontractors, leaving them to live in deplorable circumstances, a Government investigation has found.

“The maltreatment of workers in the charcoal industry was first reported in 2003 and a follow-up investigation took place in 2005,” Cabinet announced in a briefing paper on Friday. At its first session of the year, Cabinet adopted several measures at its first meeting of the year to improve the workers’ fate and to make employers follow the Labour Act.Burning charcoal from invader bush on commercial farms has become a new small industry in Namibia, with the product being sold locally and exported to Europe.However, workers inhale a lot of carbon dioxide and charcoal dust during the process, while often not wearing protective clothing, the investigation found.Charcoal production, especially in the Outjo and Kamanjab areas, is doing fairly well with employment and income generation.However, problems are experienced due to unfair treatment of workers, summary dismissals and disregard of basic conditions of service and human decency, the study found.Cabinet decided that charcoal workers must be regarded as the employees of the charcoal producer for whom they work or render a service.Their minimum wage per ton produced should be negotiated differently from existing farmworkers through the Namibian Labour Forum (NLF).In the case where employers regard charcoal workers as self-employed or as subcontractors, an agreement must be entered into through the NLF to allow them to bargain for their prices for services rendered.Charcoal workers should be entitled to all the conditions of service and benefits as prescribed in the Labour Act.Charcoal producers must take responsibility for all the workers in their employment.Employers in this sector should provide their workers with all necessary personal protective equipment as prescribed in the regulations relating to the health and safety of employees at work.”Personal protective equipment should be maintained by the employer, who must ensure that it is in a good condition,” the Cabinet resolutions stated.”Charcoal workers must undergo pre-employment and periodical medical examinations to ensure that they are healthy and fit for the work to be performed while the medical examinations should be done at the expense of the employer and during working hours without loss in pay to the employees being examined.”From now on, charcoal producers must send some of their workers for first-aid training to allow them to provide first-aid to injured workers at the workplace and employers must provide and maintain a readily available first-aid box at the workplace.Farmers who produce charcoal are now compelled to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Agriculture as well as a trading licence from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.The Ministry of Agriculture must in future conduct regular inspections on charcoal-producing commercial farms to avoid deforestation.Cabinet noted that recent investigations showed only a marginal improvement in safety awareness among the owners of charcoal-producing farms.Government lamented that no labour union had organised charcoal workers to increase their bargaining power.At its first session of the year, Cabinet adopted several measures at its first meeting of the year to improve the workers’ fate and to make employers follow the Labour Act.Burning charcoal from invader bush on commercial farms has become a new small industry in Namibia, with the product being sold locally and exported to Europe.However, workers inhale a lot of carbon dioxide and charcoal dust during the process, while often not wearing protective clothing, the investigation found.Charcoal production, especially in the Outjo and Kamanjab areas, is doing fairly well with employment and income generation.However, problems are experienced due to unfair treatment of workers, summary dismissals and disregard of basic conditions of service and human decency, the study found.Cabinet decided that charcoal workers must be regarded as the employees of the charcoal producer for whom they work or render a service.Their minimum wage per ton produced should be negotiated differently from existing farmworkers through the Namibian Labour Forum (NLF).In the case where employers regard charcoal workers as self-employed or as subcontractors, an agreement must be entered into through the NLF to allow them to bargain for their prices for services rendered.Charcoal workers should be entitled to all the conditions of service and benefits as prescribed in the Labour Act.Charcoal producers must take responsibility for all the workers in their employment.Employers in this sector should provide their workers with all necessary personal protective equipment as prescribed in the regulations relating to the health and safety of employees at work.”Personal protective equipment should be maintained by the employer, who must ensure that it is in a good condition,” the Cabinet resolutions stated.”Charcoal workers must undergo pre-employment and periodical medical examinations to ensure that they are healthy and fit for the work to be performed while the medical examinations should be done at the expense of the employer and during working hours without loss in pay to the employees being examined.”From now on, charcoal producers must send some of their workers for first-aid training to allow them to provide first-aid to injured workers at the workplace and employers must provide and maintain a readily available first-aid box at the workplace.Farmers who produce charcoal are now compelled to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Agriculture as well as a trading licence from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.The Ministry of Agriculture must in future conduct regular inspections on charcoal-producing commercial farms to avoid deforestation.Cabinet noted that recent investigations showed only a marginal improvement in safety awareness among the owners of charcoal-producing farms.Government lamented that no labour union had organised charcoal workers to increase their bargaining power.