Pupkewitz accuses NUNW of racism

BUSINESS tycoon Harold Pupkewitz has hit back at the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), accusing it of “mud-slinging and racism” towards his company and against himself as Executive Chairman of the Pupkewitz Group.

A failed meeting to iron out matters between NUNW and the company on Tuesday resulted in another attack by the labour umbrella body on the Group yesterday. The union questioned the company’s seriousness about affirmative action and black economic empowerment within the company.NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaaronda alleged that Pupkewitz “clearly sees black Namibians as incompetent” and that he trusted “no one but his fellow whites” in top management posts.He demanded that the Pupkewitz Group “must comply with the affirmative action law without delay”.”This is a racist statement and such an attack on my personal integrity is unacceptable and I expect the NUNW leadership to rectify this,” the ninety-one-year-old Pupkewitz said yesterday.”We comply with affirmative action and submit annual reports to the Employment Equity Commission.”The Pupkewitz Motor Division is currently in a deadlock with 79 employees who fall within the bargaining unit of the Metal and Allied Workers’ Union (Manwu), which demanded an 18 per cent wage increase plus a 50 per cent increase of their transport allowance.The employees of the division already received an increase of 5 per cent in 2005.”We invited NUNW President Alpheus Muheua for an informal meeting to discuss the personal attacks NUNW secretary general Evilastus Kaaronda launched against me a week ago, but he came with a whole delegation including the Manwu shop stewards of the motoring division.They were not invited,” Pupkewitz said.Muheua and his delegation refused to go into the meeting without them, but Muheua failed to inform the company he would arrive with a group.Pupkewitz has since written a letter to Manwu giving them five days to explain their role at last week’s joint press conference with NUNW, as an agreement exists between the company and Manwu not to turn to the media should a dispute arise.The shop stewards who accompanied Muheua to the informal meeting on Tuesday had left their workplace without prior permission as per the recognition agreement Manwu has with the Pupkewitz Group, Harold Pupkewitz said.They are likely to face disciplinary action from their employer.In a letter written to NUNW President Muheua on Tuesday and made available to the media yesterday, Pupkewitz reminded him that if disputes arose between employers and employees, agreed structures and procedures should be maintained in order to handle them “without resorting to personal attacks, threats, lying and distortion which undermines relationships.””Lies and dishonesty undermine a relationship and it is disappointing that the NUNW chose to associate with such behaviour”, Pupkewitz said in the letter.The union questioned the company’s seriousness about affirmative action and black economic empowerment within the company.NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaaronda alleged that Pupkewitz “clearly sees black Namibians as incompetent” and that he trusted “no one but his fellow whites” in top management posts.He demanded that the Pupkewitz Group “must comply with the affirmative action law without delay”.”This is a racist statement and such an attack on my personal integrity is unacceptable and I expect the NUNW leadership to rectify this,” the ninety-one-year-old Pupkewitz said yesterday.”We comply with affirmative action and submit annual reports to the Employment Equity Commission.” The Pupkewitz Motor Division is currently in a deadlock with 79 employees who fall within the bargaining unit of the Metal and Allied Workers’ Union (Manwu), which demanded an 18 per cent wage increase plus a 50 per cent increase of their transport allowance.The employees of the division already received an increase of 5 per cent in 2005.”We invited NUNW President Alpheus Muheua for an informal meeting to discuss the personal attacks NUNW secretary general Evilastus Kaaronda launched against me a week ago, but he came with a whole delegation including the Manwu shop stewards of the motoring division.They were not invited,” Pupkewitz said.Muheua and his delegation refused to go into the meeting without them, but Muheua failed to inform the company he would arrive with a group.Pupkewitz has since written a letter to Manwu giving them five days to explain their role at last week’s joint press conference with NUNW, as an agreement exists between the company and Manwu not to turn to the media should a dispute arise.The shop stewards who accompanied Muheua to the informal meeting on Tuesday had left their workplace without prior permission as per the recognition agreement Manwu has with the Pupkewitz Group, Harold Pupkewitz said.They are likely to face disciplinary action from their employer.In a letter written to NUNW President Muheua on Tuesday and made available to the media yesterday, Pupkewitz reminded him that if disputes arose between employers and employees, agreed structures and procedures should be maintained in order to handle them “without resorting to personal attacks, threats, lying and distortion which undermines relationships.””Lies and dishonesty undermine a relationship and it is disappointing that the NUNW chose to associate with such behaviour”, Pupkewitz said in the letter.