Prowin locks out workers

TWENTY-NINE workers suspended at Prowin Distributors at Walvis Bay last Monday after handing a petition to management over alleged unfair labour practices are still sitting at home.

According to Cleopas Ngwena, Regional Organiser of the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau), all union members working at the sugar packaging company received letters of suspension. They have also been summoned to a disciplinary hearing scheduled for tomorrow.”The company locked the workers out and took on casual employees on Tuesday,” Ngwena told The Namibian.The company and union started negotiations last Wednesday, but since then no further meeting has taken place.”We want the company to cancel the disciplinary hearings,” said Ngwena.The workers apparently refused to work on Saturdays without being paid overtime.They were also not prepared to work over lunch hour as this would not be in line with the Labour Act, said the union representative.In the petition, the workers alleged that their supervisors were treating them inhumanely with constant insults and threats.”We, the workers of Prowin are not free.We are working like slaves and have no freedom of speech.”They claim in the petition that two employees, who talked about the working conditions and treatment at Prowin on the national radio service, were called to a disciplinary hearing.”Where are our rights and freedoms as human beings and workers of an independent country?” The manager of Prowin confirmed on Tuesday that the workers had been suspended and called to a disciplinary hearing.They have also been summoned to a disciplinary hearing scheduled for tomorrow.”The company locked the workers out and took on casual employees on Tuesday,” Ngwena told The Namibian.The company and union started negotiations last Wednesday, but since then no further meeting has taken place.”We want the company to cancel the disciplinary hearings,” said Ngwena.The workers apparently refused to work on Saturdays without being paid overtime.They were also not prepared to work over lunch hour as this would not be in line with the Labour Act, said the union representative.In the petition, the workers alleged that their supervisors were treating them inhumanely with constant insults and threats.”We, the workers of Prowin are not free.We are working like slaves and have no freedom of speech.”They claim in the petition that two employees, who talked about the working conditions and treatment at Prowin on the national radio service, were called to a disciplinary hearing.”Where are our rights and freedoms as human beings and workers of an independent country?” The manager of Prowin confirmed on Tuesday that the workers had been suspended and called to a disciplinary hearing.