LABOUR unrest among ethnic Chinese at the Ramatex Textile Factory, on the outskirts of Windhoek, continued over the weekend.
The disgruntled workers, numbering about 800, are protesting against what they say are poor conditions of employment at the factory. Early on Friday morning Police were called out to disperse an angry mob which gathered outside the factory’s offices following speculation that the company wanted to send two workers back to China for allegedly instigating the work stoppage.The work stoppage began on Wednesday.One female employee had to receive medical attention after being bitten by a dog used by security guards to keep the protesters at bay.The stayaway continued throughout the weekend, with the exception of some supervisors who worked on Saturday, according to sources.The disgruntled workers also complained that they were refused service at the canteen over the weekend, following their earlier complaints that the food was unpalatable.It was unclear yesterday whether the ethnic-Chinese employed at Ramatex would return to their workbenches today.The reasons for the industrial action are not entirely clear, especially since the company last week agreed to some of the demands that sparked the work boycott.The Asian workers employment contract period has now been reduced from three to two years and the company has also agreed to shoulder all their medical costs except those that result from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.The workers earlier complained that the company had been deducting medical treatment costs from their salaries.Separate canteens will apparently also be run for Filipino and Chinese workers as from next month.But sources indicated to The Namibian that despite some of their demands being met, it appeared that a large group of ethnic Chinese workers want to return to their homeland.One source told this newspaper that the disgruntled workers just say, “we go China. Namibia no good” (sic).Early on Friday morning Police were called out to disperse an angry mob which gathered outside the factory’s offices following speculation that the company wanted to send two workers back to China for allegedly instigating the work stoppage. The work stoppage began on Wednesday. One female employee had to receive medical attention after being bitten by a dog used by security guards to keep the protesters at bay. The stayaway continued throughout the weekend, with the exception of some supervisors who worked on Saturday, according to sources. The disgruntled workers also complained that they were refused service at the canteen over the weekend, following their earlier complaints that the food was unpalatable. It was unclear yesterday whether the ethnic-Chinese employed at Ramatex would return to their workbenches today. The reasons for the industrial action are not entirely clear, especially since the company last week agreed to some of the demands that sparked the work boycott. The Asian workers employment contract period has now been reduced from three to two years and the company has also agreed to shoulder all their medical costs except those that result from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The workers earlier complained that the company had been deducting medical treatment costs from their salaries. Separate canteens will apparently also be run for Filipino and Chinese workers as from next month. But sources indicated to The Namibian that despite some of their demands being met, it appeared that a large group of ethnic Chinese workers want to return to their homeland. One source told this newspaper that the disgruntled workers just say, “we go China. Namibia no good” (sic).
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