Novanam factory strike continues

A strike that started at the Novanam fish-processing factory at Lüderitz in early December, and which has kept close to 1 000 workers from their duties, was still going strong by yesterday.

The strike started after the company and one of the trade unions representing the workers, the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union (Nasawu), failed to reach agreement in wage negotiations.
Nasawu branch organiser Petrus Shiyandja said yesterday that the union is awaiting a response from NovaNam to a proposal sent to them in an effort to finalise the matter. The union and the company have only met once since the start of the strike, Shiyandja said.
The strike last month made its way onto the agenda of the Labour Court in Windhoek, after NovaNam management charged that the strikers had been intimidating and threatening non-striking fellow workers.
In terms of the court order issued by Judge Louis Muller last month, strikers were warned not to come within 400 metres of the factory or to interfere with or obstruct any of the employees not on strike.
Muller also ordered the strikers and their union not to intimidate, harass or threaten any employee or customer of the company, or to prevent people from entering or leaving the factory.
Police have been ordered to investigate and report on any danger to life, health or safety found to be occurring at the factory.
Shiyandja said yesterday that about 400 workers did not participate in the strike and are waiting at home for business to return to normal at the factory.
Attempts to obtain comment from Novanam management at Lüderitz were unsuccessful yesterday.