Interpreters’ strike called off – for now

GOVERNMENT has told court interpreters to submit a new proposal on their job grading.

This followed a meeting between representatives of the court interpreters, the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Prime Minister last week, at which a likely strike was temporarily halted. A spokesperson for the court interpreters told The Namibian that the Public Service Management team requested them to submit a new proposal with a motivation why Government should put full-time court interpreters on par with legal clerks in the Ministry of Justice.”We feel it is a bit of a delaying tactic but we have asked for two weeks to consult our members and submit our written proposal,” said another court interpreter.They have already started consulting members and the Namibia Public Workers’ Union and were scheduled to meet the Secretary to Cabinet, Frans Kapofi, today.Kapofi is the leader of the Government’s negotiating team.”Based on the outcome of the meeting with the chief of the Government negotiating team, we will decide what action to take next,” said one court interpreter.Both sources said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Ludwina Shapwa, agreed with their proposal to be re-graded but that the Department of Public Service Management in the Office of the Prime Minister was dragging its feet.The court interpreters have threatened to strike if they are not put on par with legal clerks in the Ministry of Justice, saying that they spend over 90 per cent of their time doing clerical work rather than interpreting in courts.Some in Windhoek have already stopped doing clerical work.The Ministry uses mainly part-time interpreters in courtrooms, while the permanently employed interpreters, especially at the High Court, concentrate on paperwork.However, the Public Service Commission has refused to adjust the job grades of full-time interpreters, prompting the Namibia Public Workers’ Union to inform the Ministry of Justice that they would stop doing clerical work.A return to courtrooms by full-time interpreters would force the Ministry of Justice to lay off the part-time workers.A spokesperson for the court interpreters told The Namibian that the Public Service Management team requested them to submit a new proposal with a motivation why Government should put full-time court interpreters on par with legal clerks in the Ministry of Justice.”We feel it is a bit of a delaying tactic but we have asked for two weeks to consult our members and submit our written proposal,” said another court interpreter.They have already started consulting members and the Namibia Public Workers’ Union and were scheduled to meet the Secretary to Cabinet, Frans Kapofi, today.Kapofi is the leader of the Government’s negotiating team.”Based on the outcome of the meeting with the chief of the Government negotiating team, we will decide what action to take next,” said one court interpreter.Both sources said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Ludwina Shapwa, agreed with their proposal to be re-graded but that the Department of Public Service Management in the Office of the Prime Minister was dragging its feet.The court interpreters have threatened to strike if they are not put on par with legal clerks in the Ministry of Justice, saying that they spend over 90 per cent of their time doing clerical work rather than interpreting in courts.Some in Windhoek have already stopped doing clerical work.The Ministry uses mainly part-time interpreters in courtrooms, while the permanently employed interpreters, especially at the High Court, concentrate on paperwork.However, the Public Service Commission has refused to adjust the job grades of full-time interpreters, prompting the Namibia Public Workers’ Union to inform the Ministry of Justice that they would stop doing clerical work.A return to courtrooms by full-time interpreters would force the Ministry of Justice to lay off the part-time workers.