NovaNam rehires workers

THE 356 workers who were dismissed by the Luederitz-based fishing company NovaNam last month will be allowed to return to work next week.

Representatives from NovaNam, the Namibian Seaman and Allied Workers’ Union (Nasawu) and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau) signed an agreement in Windhoek yesterday. In terms of the agreement, the workers will be reinstated, albeit with a number of terms and conditions.All 356 employees will be issued with a final written warning valid for 12 months, while the company will contribute 50 per cent less towards their pension benefits for the same period.The agreement also states that the affected employees will not receive any back pay, including on bonuses and pension, from the date of their suspension until the date of their return to work.ILLEGAL STRIKE The two unions have in turn agreed to withdraw their respective appeals lodged against the company’s decision to dismiss the workers.The agreement yesterday followed a daylong meeting on Monday between NovaNam, the two unions and the Minister of Fisheries, Abraham Iyambo.The workers will return to their jobs on Tuesday, after signing letters accepting the terms and conditions and the written warnings.The information will be formally shared with workers tomorrow, Iyambo said yesterday.The 356 employees were dismissed from their jobs with immediate effect last month, following an illegal strike over salaries last year.Despite a recommendation from legal practitioners that the workers be issued with final written warnings, NovaNam then said that the situation was too serious, and that dismissal was deemed necessary.The two unions then wrote letters to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, requesting consultation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.The Deputy Minister of Labour, Petrus Iilonga, thanked the company for withdrawing its original decision, saying that it was important for them to consider not only the economic considerations of their decisions, but also the social and political aftermath.He likewise thanked the unions for accepting the conditions attached to the reinstatement of the employees, and appealed to them to teach their members about their rights, so as to avoid a similar scenario in the future.Iilonga also asked all the parties to refrain from provocation to “make sure that all of them (affected employees) get a pass mark, not finding themselves on the wrong side during the next 12 months.”The agreement was signed by NovaNam’s General Manager for Human Resources, Dawid Pokolo, Nasawu president Paulus Hango, and Nafau president David Namalenga.The Permanent Secretaries of Labour and Fisheries signed the agreement as witnesses.In terms of the agreement, the workers will be reinstated, albeit with a number of terms and conditions.All 356 employees will be issued with a final written warning valid for 12 months, while the company will contribute 50 per cent less towards their pension benefits for the same period.The agreement also states that the affected employees will not receive any back pay, including on bonuses and pension, from the date of their suspension until the date of their return to work. ILLEGAL STRIKE The two unions have in turn agreed to withdraw their respective appeals lodged against the company’s decision to dismiss the workers.The agreement yesterday followed a daylong meeting on Monday between NovaNam, the two unions and the Minister of Fisheries, Abraham Iyambo.The workers will return to their jobs on Tuesday, after signing letters accepting the terms and conditions and the written warnings.The information will be formally shared with workers tomorrow, Iyambo said yesterday.The 356 employees were dismissed from their jobs with immediate effect last month, following an illegal strike over salaries last year.Despite a recommendation from legal practitioners that the workers be issued with final written warnings, NovaNam then said that the situation was too serious, and that dismissal was deemed necessary.The two unions then wrote letters to the Permanent Secretary of Labour, requesting consultation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. The Deputy Minister of Labour, Petrus Iilonga, thanked the company for withdrawing its original decision, saying that it was important for them to consider not only the economic considerations of their decisions, but also the social and political aftermath.He likewise thanked the unions for accepting the conditions attached to the reinstatement of the employees, and appealed to them to teach their members about their rights, so as to avoid a similar scenario in the future.Iilonga also asked all the parties to refrain from provocation to “make sure that all of them (affected employees) get a pass mark, not finding themselves on the wrong side during the next 12 months.”The agreement was signed by NovaNam’s General Manager for Human Resources, Dawid Pokolo, Nasawu president Paulus Hango, and Nafau president David Namalenga.The Permanent Secretaries of Labour and Fisheries signed the agreement as witnesses.