No money for NBC salary increases

‘THERE will be no NBC [Namibian Broadcasting Corporation] after 16h00 today if NBC workers do not get a salary increase.’

This was said by Gabes Andumba, the deputy general secretary of the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu), yesterday afternoon.The union has given the NBC 48 hours’ notice of a strike, which lapses this afternoon.This threat comes in the wake of an announcement by Joël Kaapanda, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, that the ministry does not have money in its budget to finance a salary increase for NBC employees.Kaapanda yesterday said that the national broadcaster asked for an N$80 million bailout to finance salary increases. Kaapanda said he was ‘very concerned’ about an imminent strike over the failed wage negotiations between the NBC and Napwu.The minister urged NBC workers to remain calm until a solution can be found.According to him, the ministry ploughed its savings into the digitisation of the NBC. ‘We are looking around to see where we can find money.’Also, Kaapanda warned, the NBC needs to step up its income generation. ‘The NBC has to fix up its financial management so that they become self-sustainable.’According to Albertus Aochamub, the director general of the NBC, they have ‘reached consensus on all matters with the union’. He said their hands are tied if Government does not come to their rescue. ‘We can confirm that the matter enjoys maximum attention at the relevant levels of Government to find a solution.’However, Andumba said: ‘There is no new development. We have declared a dispute.’Should there be no news by this afternoon at 16h00, it will be because ‘everything will be off. There will be no NBC.’Yesterday, it was reported that a certificate of unresolved dispute was issued following a deadlock in the wage talks.It is understood that an overwhelming majority of workers are in favour of a strike.In April, NBC workers also threatened with industrial action. Then, the employees wanted a 13% salary increase and their housing subsidies increased to 60%. In a strongly worded letter, NBC workers claimed that their overtime claims were slashed in half – which they referred to as harassment.NBC employees further demanded that Government must treat all parastatals equally in terms of funding.