Lost Opportunity For Unity

IT IS a great pity that the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) did not sideline the infighting at its recent congress in order to address the crucial unity issue.

Problem is, the congress has now been and gone, and affiliate unions are at odds as never before. By no means can the status quo be said to be operating in the interests of the wide spectrum of Namibian workers that the NUNW represents, and this in turn impacts negatively on the economy of our country.Efficient and organised unions must surely be valued partners in any economy, but in its present fragmented form, the NUNW is neither of use to the workforce nor the country as a whole.Presently both the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) and the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) are at odds with the parent body, the NUNW, for different but related reasons.Much, but not all, has to do with the political divisions within Swapo itself.Most recently the MUN has distanced itself from the NUNW decision to investigate alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement leading to the Ongopolo demise.Nantu in turn, is threatening to suspend payment of its membership dues to the mother body, citing violations of the NUNW constitution because union credentials were not scrutinised prior to the NUNW congress, reportedly resulting in unions which weren’t paid-up attending and voting at the said congress, instead of forfeiting these rights as the union’s constitution states.Only two unions, namely Nantu and Natau, were in fact fully paid-up at the time of Congress, Nantu has maintained.This all points to a very disorganised NUNW.If even the constitution of the NUNW has been flung into a dark corner and disregarded for strategic and other reasons, it points to a virtual breakdown in governance on the part of the umbrella body, and surely calls for urgent remedial action.The Ongopolo venture itself does warrant investigation, because this was an initiative in which the NUNW leadership took part, and it failed dismally.This was also to be held up as an example of how unions could take joint ownership and operate a company in the interests of the country and the workforce.What has happened there is precisely the opposite, and it has resulted in a ‘bailout’ by a foreign company.This reflects badly on union abilities in this regard.Workers in turn may demand answers.Unions that have not fully paid their dues to the NUNW have probably, in turn, taken those same fees from their members.If the money has not been paid over, then where is it? It is time that workers themselves start asking such questions for they would soon do so if their workplace employers were the culprits in this regard.The NUNW has a lot to answer to right now.And while there is new leadership at the helm, there is no reason to believe that things will be any different from now on.Sadly, at the end of the day, the workers themselves will be left in a state of limbo and cannot count on the support of unions when they need to do so.The local Ramatex workforce faces an uncertain future, and it appears the unions are not nearly as perturbed as they should be.It would be a sad day indeed if it was found in the Ongopolo investigation, for example, that the unions played a part in mismanagement, which in turn may jeopardise members of its own union and workforce.With the continued infighting and jockeying for positions that persist, the NUNW has to ask itself whether workers’ issues are even paramount anymore.-By no means can the status quo be said to be operating in the interests of the wide spectrum of Namibian workers that the NUNW represents, and this in turn impacts negatively on the economy of our country.Efficient and organised unions must surely be valued partners in any economy, but in its present fragmented form, the NUNW is neither of use to the workforce nor the country as a whole.Presently both the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) and the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) are at odds with the parent body, the NUNW, for different but related reasons.Much, but not all, has to do with the political divisions within Swapo itself.Most recently the MUN has distanced itself from the NUNW decision to investigate alleged financial irregularities and mismanagement leading to the Ongopolo demise.Nantu in turn, is threatening to suspend payment of its membership dues to the mother body, citing violations of the NUNW constitution because union credentials were not scrutinised prior to the NUNW congress, reportedly resulting in unions which weren’t paid-up attending and voting at the said congress, instead of forfeiting these rights as the union’s constitution states.Only two unions, namely Nantu and Natau, were in fact fully paid-up at the time of Congress, Nantu has maintained.This all points to a very disorganised NUNW.If even the constitution of the NUNW has been flung into a dark corner and disregarded for strategic and other reasons, it points to a virtual breakdown in governance on the part of the umbrella body, and surely calls for urgent remedial action.The Ongopolo venture itself does warrant investigation, because this was an initiative in which the NUNW leadership took part, and it failed dismally.This was also to be held up as an example of how unions could take joint ownership and operate a company in the interests of the country and the workforce.What has happened there is precisely the opposite, and it has resulted in a ‘bailout’ by a foreign company.This reflects badly on union abilities in this regard.Workers in turn may demand answers.Unions that have not fully paid their dues to the NUNW have probably, in turn, taken those same fees from their members.If the money has not been paid over, then where is it? It is time that workers themselves start asking such questions for they would soon do so if their workplace employers were the culprits in this regard.The NUNW has a lot to answer to right now.And while there is new leadership at the helm, there is no reason to believe that things will be any different from now on.Sadly, at the end of the day, the workers themselves will be left in a state of limbo and cannot count on the support of unions when they need to do so.The local Ramatex workforce faces an uncertain future, and it appears the unions are not nearly as perturbed as they should be.It would be a sad day indeed if it was found in the Ongopolo investigation, for example, that the unions played a part in mismanagement, which in turn may jeopardise members of its own union and workforce.With the continued infighting and jockeying for positions that persist, the NUNW has to ask itself whether workers’ issues are even paramount anymore.-