Meatco talks continue

MEATCO says it is still negotiating on the future of its contract workers with the Namibia Food and Allied Workers’ Union.

Mary Hansen, senior manager for corporate communication at Meatco, said their human resource manager was closeted for much of Friday at the union offices.They are in dispute over the contracts given by the company to temporary workers.Since 1998 Meatco had entered into temporary contracts with employees, paying them for a full 40 hours per week although they sometimes don’t work so many hours.However, in 2007 the contracts changed, with workers only getting paid for the actual hours worked.For this year the company offered the workers contracts stipulating a minimum of 18 work hours per week. That means temporary workers are guaranteed a salary for 18 hours per week, whether they have worked 18 hours or not.Hansen said the new contract does not limit the working hours to only 18 hours a week, as it depends on the work available and can exceed 18 hours.Just as the company was about to finalise all the contracts with the workers, Nafau, although not officially recognised as representative of the temporary workers, opposed the decision.Nafau President Abel Kazondunge said the reduction of working hours would significantly reduce the income of the temporary workers. Hansen said Meatco’s production volumes had reduced by one third over the years but Nafau wants the temporary employees to be paid a full salary whilst not working.’This demand does not make business sense as Meatco and any other employer for that matter, cannot pay employees whilst not working. However Meatco is willing and proposed that the temporary employees are guaranteed 40 per cent of their respective salaries per month,’ she said.She denied that the move was intended to reduce the working hours of employees as claimed by Nafau, but instead said it was an attempt by Meatco to guarantee them a minimum salary, whether they work or not.’Ever since Nafau entered the fray they have been advising the temporary employees not to sign the temporary employment agreements, which resulted in them working for Meatco without signed employment contracts during the second period of 2008,’ Hansen said.She said that was contrary to good corporate governance, Namibian labour legislation and European Union regulations.She said a conciliation process is underway and agreement has been reached on most issues, such as housing allowances, service bonuses, transport, meals and a medical aid scheme.’The only outstanding issue on which the parties could not reach agreement is the working hours of these temporary employees,’ Hansen said.She said with Meatco’s current cattle procurement strategy it is anticipated that production volumes might increase this year and this could result in increased working hours for the temporary workers.When the employment contracts for the temporary workers expired in November last year, 157 of the 200 temporary employees at the Windhoek abattoir signed their contracts. Last week, 46 of those who did not sign last year signed their contracts for 2009.Hansen said Nafau’s ‘interference’ stopped four employees from signing their employment contracts. – christof@namibian.com.na