Pohamba calls for harmonious working environment

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba has urged employers to embrace a culture of regular consultations with their employees in order to prevent labour disputes that are on the increase in the country.

The Head of State said it was important for all employers to view their workers as their social partners and not as their foes. Pohamba made the remarks when he officially opened the first-ever National Symposium on Productivity and Employment organised by the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) on Monday.He said all forms of unfair labour practices that create tense labour relations are worrisome to Government.”This is an issue that we in Government are committed to address by engaging all relevant stakeholders.Our common aim should be the creation of a conducive environment for the growth of both domestic and foreign investments as well as the improvement of productivity in our economy,” he said.This can only be achieved if private and public sectors, trade unions and civil society establish harmonious industrial relations at their workplaces, he said.”Obviously, there is no way that you can achieve productivity if there is tension amongst yourselves,” he added.The issue of low wages is yet another aspect that Pohamba said continues to hamper productivity since poor salaries demoralise workers.He stressed that it is important to invest in training of employees in order to contribute to the enhancement of their skills and competencies in order for the economy to perform fully.Speaking at the same occasion, the Senior Researcher of the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI), Herbert Jauch, said it is saddening that Namibian employees are always confronted with productivity-related arguments from their employers during wage negotiations.In this case the productivity card is played as a weapon against workers’ demands for better wages and working conditions, he said.Jauch used the textile company, Ramatex, as an example of companies that always use the issue of productivity as an excuse when they are confronted with wage increase demands.He said that the company’s wages have in fact accounted for only 11 to 16 per cent of Ramatex’ export earnings.He said since the company does not pay tax and its rates for electricity and water are subsidised, it is hard to believe that its operations were running at a loss.Ramatex refused to provide LaRRI with its financial statements when the institution was researching on the issue of unfair labour practices.LaRRI then took it upon themselves to get statements on-line from an American company that deals with the Ramatex exported materials from Namibia and learnt that in fact Ramatex generates a lot of profit and does not operate on losses.NampaPohamba made the remarks when he officially opened the first-ever National Symposium on Productivity and Employment organised by the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) on Monday.He said all forms of unfair labour practices that create tense labour relations are worrisome to Government.”This is an issue that we in Government are committed to address by engaging all relevant stakeholders.Our common aim should be the creation of a conducive environment for the growth of both domestic and foreign investments as well as the improvement of productivity in our economy,” he said.This can only be achieved if private and public sectors, trade unions and civil society establish harmonious industrial relations at their workplaces, he said.”Obviously, there is no way that you can achieve productivity if there is tension amongst yourselves,” he added.The issue of low wages is yet another aspect that Pohamba said continues to hamper productivity since poor salaries demoralise workers.He stressed that it is important to invest in training of employees in order to contribute to the enhancement of their skills and competencies in order for the economy to perform fully.Speaking at the same occasion, the Senior Researcher of the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI), Herbert Jauch, said it is saddening that Namibian employees are always confronted with productivity-related arguments from their employers during wage negotiations.In this case the productivity card is played as a weapon against workers’ demands for better wages and working conditions, he said.Jauch used the textile company, Ramatex, as an example of companies that always use the issue of productivity as an excuse when they are confronted with wage increase demands.He said that the company’s wages have in fact accounted for only 11 to 16 per cent of Ramatex’ export earnings.He said since the company does not pay tax and its rates for electricity and water are subsidised, it is hard to believe that its operations were running at a loss.Ramatex refused to provide LaRRI with its financial statements when the institution was researching on the issue of unfair labour practices.LaRRI then took it upon themselves to get statements on-line from an American company that deals with the Ramatex exported materials from Namibia and learnt that in fact Ramatex generates a lot of profit and does not operate on losses.Nampa