Namib Foam wage talks deadlocked

TWO shop stewards for the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers Union (Manwu) at Namib Foam in Windhoek and the union’s Secretary General, Moses Shiikwa, on Monday walked out of a meeting with the company manager after he told them that the firm could only increase workers’ salaries by 6,75 per cent.

“When he told us that, we just walked out of the meeting,” Manwu shop steward Mvula Nicanor told The Namibian. Shiikwa, accompanied by the shop stewards, met with Namib Foam manager Mike Strydom in Klein Windhoek on Monday to try and resolve a deadlock in wage negotiations.Nicanor said the union was sticking to its demand for an eight per cent salary increase and would not accept the 6,75 per cent offered by the company.Close to 60 workers at the firm went on strike on June 23 after the company rejected their demand for an eight per cent increase.Shiikwa, accompanied by the shop stewards, met with Namib Foam manager Mike Strydom in Klein Windhoek on Monday to try and resolve a deadlock in wage negotiations.Nicanor said the union was sticking to its demand for an eight per cent salary increase and would not accept the 6,75 per cent offered by the company.Close to 60 workers at the firm went on strike on June 23 after the company rejected their demand for an eight per cent increase.