NUNW takes issuewith Ramatex

THE National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) has lashed out at the Ramatex Textile Factory, accusing it of treating both its local and foreign workforce unfairly.

The labour movement urged Government to compel the company to respect Namibian laws. “As a labour movement that believes in international workers’ solidarity, we have to strongly condemn Ramatex’s behaviour,” NUNW Secretary General Peter Naholo said in a statement yesterday.Naholo alleged the Malaysian-run company was employing a strategy of “divide and rule” among its workers.The union charged that Government was being duped into believing that the thousands of foreign Asian workers employed at the factory were training Namibians.However, the NUNW claimed, the Malaysian, Chinese, Filipino and Bangladeshi nationals were in fact production workers, used by the company to pressurise Namibian workers to meet their demands.Attempts by The Namibian yesterday to obtain comment from factory management on the allegations proved futile.The NUNW termed the company’s on-the-spot dismissal of 66 of its Bangladeshi workforce last week as “ruthless”.Naholo accused the garment factory of “intimidating” and “scaring” its foreign workers from joining a Namibian trade union.The umbrella union body said it was unacceptable that the company was not stopped from deporting Asian workers who complained about their working conditions.The NUNW has recommended that its affiliate, the Namibian Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau), recruit Asian workers to the body to ensure that their rights were respected.”We cannot allow Ramatex to play the divide-and-rule game with [its] workers and we have to show them that workers’ unity is strength,” said Naholo.In the past, union representatives have been refused entry to the factory premises.The NUNW said it was unhappy that negotiations for improved salaries and benefits for Namibian workers had stalled on a technicality.Despite a dispute being declared at the beginning of the year, and the matter being referred to the Labour Commissioner, the matter remains unresolved to date.”As a result, Ramatex workers still experience extremely low wages and poor working conditions,” Naholo said.The factory only agreed to enter into a recognition agreement on their conditions of employment with Nafau after two strikes by Namibian workers in as many years.The NUNW yesterday also took issue with “the outrageous” privileges enjoyed by Ramatex, such as subsidised electricity rates, while Namibians were being cut off from utility supplies.In June, the Windhoek City Council agreed that Ramatex should begin paying the full price for its massive water supply, after having enjoyed reduced rates for over two years.The NUNW also said that the factory was not being transparent about the disposal of toxic wastes it produced.”We find it unacceptable that Ramatex continues to receive special treatment over and above the usual EPZ incentives,” the union said.”As a labour movement that believes in international workers’ solidarity, we have to strongly condemn Ramatex’s behaviour,” NUNW Secretary General Peter Naholo said in a statement yesterday.Naholo alleged the Malaysian-run company was employing a strategy of “divide and rule” among its workers.The union charged that Government was being duped into believing that the thousands of foreign Asian workers employed at the factory were training Namibians.However, the NUNW claimed, the Malaysian, Chinese, Filipino and Bangladeshi nationals were in fact production workers, used by the company to pressurise Namibian workers to meet their demands.Attempts by The Namibian yesterday to obtain comment from factory management on the allegations proved futile.The NUNW termed the company’s on-the-spot dismissal of 66 of its Bangladeshi workforce last week as “ruthless”.Naholo accused the garment factory of “intimidating” and “scaring” its foreign workers from joining a Namibian trade union.The umbrella union body said it was unacceptable that the company was not stopped from deporting Asian workers who complained about their working conditions.The NUNW has recommended that its affiliate, the Namibian Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau), recruit Asian workers to the body to ensure that their rights were respected.”We cannot allow Ramatex to play the divide-and-rule game with [its] workers and we have to show them that workers’ unity is strength,” said Naholo.In the past, union representatives have been refused entry to the factory premises.The NUNW said it was unhappy that negotiations for improved salaries and benefits for Namibian workers had stalled on a technicality.Despite a dispute being declared at the beginning of the year, and the matter being referred to the Labour Commissioner, the matter remains unresolved to date.”As a result, Ramatex workers still experience extremely low wages and poor working conditions,” Naholo said.The factory only agreed to enter into a recognition agreement on their conditions of employment with Nafau after two strikes by Namibian workers in as many years.The NUNW yesterday also took issue with “the outrageous” privileges enjoyed by Ramatex, such as subsidised electricity rates, while Namibians were being cut off from utility supplies.In June, the Windhoek City Council agreed that Ramatex should begin paying the full price for its massive water supply, after having enjoyed reduced rates for over two years.The NUNW also said that the factory was not being transparent about the disposal of toxic wastes it produced.”We find it unacceptable that Ramatex continues to receive special treatment over and above the usual EPZ incentives,” the union said.