No retrenchment at Etale Fishing

Yesterday Etale Fishing Company and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU) announced that the company will not retrench any of its 379 employees.

In a joint statement the two entities described the outcome of their negotiations as a win-win two phase agreement. The first phase is from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 while the second runs from 1 March 2004 to 1 January 2006.The agreement states that the company will not increase any salaries this year.Employees there are to be reallocated to improve efficiencies, but they will keep their current renumeration and benefit packages.These renumerations are to be gradually adjusted to suit the level of the new functions the employees are to perform, according to Felix Musukubili, Etale’s industrial relations officer.”The compay did not consider the labour cost as the only remedy to the prevailing economic hardship being experienced in the industry,” he said.He also explained that if the company faces a situation where there are absolutely no fish for processing, employees will receive only two thirds of their basic salaries.This will only happen after employees have been notified, Musukubili maintained.Benefits will not be affected, he said.Further the company and the union agreed that no casual or temporary labour will be employed at the expense of permanent employee jobs.Casual workers will only be called in for ad-hoc duties and during long periods of absence of employees, he added.This will only continue until both parties are able to provide a better alternative, he explained.Medical unfitness of employees will henceforth only be considered on the basis of a valid medical certificate issued by a registered doctor, states the statement.The first phase is from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004 while the second runs from 1 March 2004 to 1 January 2006. The agreement states that the company will not increase any salaries this year. Employees there are to be reallocated to improve efficiencies, but they will keep their current renumeration and benefit packages. These renumerations are to be gradually adjusted to suit the level of the new functions the employees are to perform, according to Felix Musukubili, Etale’s industrial relations officer. “The compay did not consider the labour cost as the only remedy to the prevailing economic hardship being experienced in the industry,” he said. He also explained that if the company faces a situation where there are absolutely no fish for processing, employees will receive only two thirds of their basic salaries. This will only happen after employees have been notified, Musukubili maintained. Benefits will not be affected, he said. Further the company and the union agreed that no casual or temporary labour will be employed at the expense of permanent employee jobs. Casual workers will only be called in for ad-hoc duties and during long periods of absence of employees, he added. This will only continue until both parties are able to provide a better alternative, he explained. Medical unfitness of employees will henceforth only be considered on the basis of a valid medical certificate issued by a registered doctor, states the statement.