Namport workers in trouble over strike

BETWEEN 50 and 150 Namport workers have been charged with misconduct and face disciplinary action, sources tell The Namibian.

While the exact number of workers could not be established yesterday, a letter issued to the workers last Thursday specifically referred to them participating in illegal industrial action, insubordination and bringing Namport’s name into disrepute as the reasons for the action.

Namport claims that on 31 July, the workers wrongfully and intentionally participated in a strike in front of Namport’s head office at Walvis Bay. The workers allegedly also failed to follow the grievance procedures contained in the collective bargaining agreement signed between Namport and the Namibian Transport and Allied Workers Union (Natau).

The parastatal furthermore claims that the workers participated in the illegal strike, despite being cautioned not to, and did so in full view of the general public, thereby “causing reputational damage to the good name of the Namibia Ports Authority”.

Some workers informed this newspaper that when they started work last Thursday, they were issued with the notices.

A petition which was supposed to be handed to Namport management at the time of the strike sheds light on the frustrations of the workers, amongst them the issue of union representation.

The workers said their right to freedom of association was being undermined because they want to be members of the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) instead of Natau, which they do not want to be associated with, but with which Namport has a bargaining agreement.

“We see it as an attempt to impose a union we as workers have condemned. [It is] a union which continues to disrespect our rights and interests,” the petition reads.

As a result, the workers reportedly unanimously decided to resign as Natau members because the union allegedly failed to address their concerns around wages, benefits and shifts. They furthermore accused the union of corruption and victimisation, and not consulting workers on changes to conditions of employment.

When approached for comment, Namport spokesperson Jo-Ann Stevens said Namport was investigating the concerns of the “few aggrieved employees” through internal structures.

She said the union recognition matter was at the level of the two unions’ leadership, and that Namport was also discussing it.

Namport would thus only be in a position to provide details at the conclusion of internal processes and after the two unions, the labour ministry, and Namport had negotiated a solution.

As for the disciplinary issue, Stevens said, “Nam­port is not in a position to comment at the moment as the matter is currently being attended to through an internal process”

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