Last-ditch bid to avert strike

GOVERNMENT is involved in a bid to avert a pending national strike planned by security guards from tomorrow.

As part of the last-ditch attempt, Minister Alpheus !Naruseb yesterday brought the two parties together to find an amicable solution. !Naruseb called on the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Natau), the Namibia Security Guards and Watchmen Union (NASGWU) and the Security Association of Namibia (SAN) to sit around the table and thrash out their differences.The Minister’s involvement follows the breakdown of negotiations at conciliation board level on Monday, after which the unions gave notice of a strike starting tomorrow.Today’s meeting is set for 14h00 and will be chaired by Minister !Naruseb.Natau Secretary General John Kwedhi said although some employers had indicated that they were willing to give the last-ditch attempt a chance, their offers had not yet been presented in writing.At this stage, he said, the union had not called off the planned strike and would only decide on the way forward pending the outcome of today’s meeting.”Even if we are going to sit and hope for better negotiations, it does not mean that we are going to hold up anything.The Security Association thinks there is no alternative, but there is, and the unions are prepared to defend their stand,” Kwedhi said.Kwedhi also had a message for employers who are alleged to be intimidating their employees: ” Those intimidating their employees are doing an illegal thing, as this strike is legal and will be dealt with.We will not allow any intimidation,” Kwedhi charged.Meanwhile, The Namibian has learnt that individual companies have allegedly issued threats, some veiled and others more direct, to their employees not to join the industrial action.The Namibian has seen a memorandum issued on August 10 to all security personnel of G4S security company, in which guards were urged to think of the “possible consequences” of participating in a strike.The circular was issued in anticipation of the strike planned for August 14, which was called off to give conciliation a chance.The Managing Director of G4S, Dries Kannemeyer, who signed the memorandum, is also the president of SAN.The unions are demanding a N$1,41 increase to the current minimum of N$2,09 for the entry level, bringing the hourly wage to N$3,50 and the pay per shift to N$42.SAN has proposed a 41 per cent increase, bringing the hourly rate to N$2,50 and the pay per shift to N$30.As the two parties could not find a compromise during the four rounds of conciliation meetings, it remains to be seen if the involvement of the Minister will bear any positive results.Three security companies, Kalahari Security Service, Humphries Security Guard Division and A H Security Service, have urged their guards not to participate in the industrial action.They have asked the two unions representing the guards to present them with their demands for negotiations, as they are not part of SAN.In the same breath, however, the three companies say they are not in favour of the union’s demand of a N$3,50 minimum hourly rate.”As individual security companies we entered into different recognition agreements with Natau and we invite Natau to meet us and negotiate amicably,” said a statement issued yesterday by the three companies .!Naruseb called on the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Natau), the Namibia Security Guards and Watchmen Union (NASGWU) and the Security Association of Namibia (SAN) to sit around the table and thrash out their differences.The Minister’s involvement follows the breakdown of negotiations at conciliation board level on Monday, after which the unions gave notice of a strike starting tomorrow.Today’s meeting is set for 14h00 and will be chaired by Minister !Naruseb.Natau Secretary General John Kwedhi said although some employers had indicated that they were willing to give the last-ditch attempt a chance, their offers had not yet been presented in writing.At this stage, he said, the union had not called off the planned strike and would only decide on the way forward pending the outcome of today’s meeting.”Even if we are going to sit and hope for better negotiations, it does not mean that we are going to hold up anything.The Security Association thinks there is no alternative, but there is, and the unions are prepared to defend their stand,” Kwedhi said.Kwedhi also had a message for employers who are alleged to be intimidating their employees: ” Those intimidating their employees are doing an illegal thing, as this strike is legal and will be dealt with.We will not allow any intimidation,” Kwedhi charged. Meanwhile, The Namibian has learnt that individual companies have allegedly issued threats, some veiled and others more direct, to their employees not to join the industrial action.The Namibian has seen a memorandum issued on August 10 to all security personnel of G4S security company, in which guards were urged to think of the “possible consequences” of participating in a strike.The circular was issued in anticipation of the strike planned for August 14, which was called off to give conciliation a chance.The Managing Director of G4S, Dries Kannemeyer, who signed the memorandum, is also the president of SAN.The unions are demanding a N$1,41 increase to the current minimum of N$2,09 for the entry level, bringing the hourly wage to N$3,50 and the pay per shift to N$42.SAN has proposed a 41 per cent increase, bringing the hourly rate to N$2,50 and the pay per shift to N$30.As the two parties could not find a compromise during the four rounds of conciliation meetings, it remains to be seen if the involvement of the Minister will bear any positive results.Three security companies, Kalahari Security Service, Humphries Security Guard Division and A H Security Service, have urged their guards not to participate in the industrial action.They have asked the two unions representing the guards to present them with their demands for negotiations, as they are not part of SAN.In the same breath, however, the three companies say they are not in favour of the union’s demand of a N$3,50 minimum hourly rate.”As individual security companies we entered into different recognition agreements with Natau and we invite Natau to meet us and negotiate amicably,” said a statement issued yesterday by the three companies .