Pregnant women claim fish factory discriminates

TWO female seasonal workers have allegedly been denied re-employment at the Gendor fish factory at Walvis Bay because they are pregnant.

The Namibia Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau) yesterday used a media conference to condemn the company’s behaviour. “We have never seen such a policy against pregnant women in the industry,” said Cleopas Ngwena, Nafau’s Regional Co-ordinator for the Erongo Region.According to Ngwena, Gendor’s human resources manager had told him the company’s policy was not to employ women who were more than four months pregnant.The Human Resources Manager at Gendor, Katchina Shiluwa, told The Namibian yesterday that she was not in a position to comment.She said the company was still in negotiations with Nafau over the issue.”I’m surprised to hear the issue is already in the media,” she added.She referred all questions to the company CEO.He was working at Luderitz and could not be reached for comment.According to Ngwena, eight women were found to be pregnant after all female seasonal workers had been subjected to pregnancy tests at the beginning of the year.Two women were granted maternity leave.Another four were reinstated after the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers’ Union (Nasawu) intervened.The remaining two women, who are not Nasawu members, were allegedly told they could no longer work at Gendor.Elisabeth Mbakera and Thusnelde Mwatilefu were both seasonal workers at the company until December.”We did inform the company when we fell pregnant last year,” said Mwatilefu.”When we reported at the factory in January, we were all sent for pregnancy tests.All the pregnant women were sent home on the 16th”.She said they were called back to the factory on January 27 and subjected to sonar tests.”I am very upset about this as my husband did not even know I was going for a sonar,” Mwatilefu told The Namibian.She said the doctor had pronounced her healthy and fit to work, but the company maintained as she was already five months pregnant she could not be employed.Referring to the Human Resources manager at Gendor, Ngwena said: “It is shameful to hear that a woman is treating other women badly because they are pregnant.We ask the Ministries of Labour, Fisheries and Marine Resources, and Woman Affairs and Child Welfare to intervene”.He said the manager had told him it was not economically viable to employ the women for three months as they would then want to take maternity leave.The union leader said: “Everybody has a right to be employed.”The company must understand they are working with human beings and not machines”.”We have never seen such a policy against pregnant women in the industry,” said Cleopas Ngwena, Nafau’s Regional Co-ordinator for the Erongo Region. According to Ngwena, Gendor’s human resources manager had told him the company’s policy was not to employ women who were more than four months pregnant. The Human Resources Manager at Gendor, Katchina Shiluwa, told The Namibian yesterday that she was not in a position to comment. She said the company was still in negotiations with Nafau over the issue. “I’m surprised to hear the issue is already in the media,” she added. She referred all questions to the company CEO. He was working at Luderitz and could not be reached for comment. According to Ngwena, eight women were found to be pregnant after all female seasonal workers had been subjected to pregnancy tests at the beginning of the year. Two women were granted maternity leave. Another four were reinstated after the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers’ Union (Nasawu) intervened. The remaining two women, who are not Nasawu members, were allegedly told they could no longer work at Gendor. Elisabeth Mbakera and Thusnelde Mwatilefu were both seasonal workers at the company until December. “We did inform the company when we fell pregnant last year,” said Mwatilefu. “When we reported at the factory in January, we were all sent for pregnancy tests. All the pregnant women were sent home on the 16th”. She said they were called back to the factory on January 27 and subjected to sonar tests. “I am very upset about this as my husband did not even know I was going for a sonar,” Mwatilefu told The Namibian. She said the doctor had pronounced her healthy and fit to work, but the company maintained as she was already five months pregnant she could not be employed. Referring to the Human Resources manager at Gendor, Ngwena said: “It is shameful to hear that a woman is treating other women badly because they are pregnant. We ask the Ministries of Labour, Fisheries and Marine Resources, and Woman Affairs and Child Welfare to intervene”. He said the manager had told him it was not economically viable to employ the women for three months as they would then want to take maternity leave. The union leader said: “Everybody has a right to be employed. “The company must understand they are working with human beings and not machines”.