Ramatex tries to gag workers

RAMATEX workers are incensed over a gag the factory has tried to place on them from speaking to the media about their working conditions.

The factory went to the extent of writing to the Namibian Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau) to inform its members that they should not talk to the media. This comes in response an article in The Namibian last week, in which it was reported that workers were unhappy about a wage increase offer of only ten cents an hour.Workers are demanding that their hourly pay rate be raised by between N$3 and N$4, considering that they have worked without an increase since the inception of the factory nearly four years ago.By yesterday, no date had yet been set for mediation to resolve the dispute.In a letter to Nafau, Ramatex said it was “disappointed” that news of the dispute had reached the press, and especially the comments made by union members.The company warned Nafau that any industrial action taken by workers before the dispute procedure had been finalised would be deemed illegal and strikers could face summary dismissal.”Any form of illegal industrial action at this moment in time would seriously jeopardise the continued operation and existence of Ramatex in Namibia,” read the letter signed by Ramatex General Manager BK Ong.Ramatex further said that the negotiations were a sensitive process that could be jeopardised by premature speculation and discussion in and by the press.Workers The Namibian spoke to said they felt the contents of the letter confirmed their suspicions that they were being provoked to resort to action, which would give Ramatex an excuse to close the Windhoek factory and seek more lucrative destinations.”The workers are worried when the meeting is going to be.The situation is calm but workers are only giving them chance until the end of the month, then they will get frustrated,” said one worker.”Workers won’t just strike, they will follow the correct procedures”.Nafau Acting General Secretary Kiros Sackarias said yesterday that it was not being intimidated by the factory and that its members had the right to speak out about their grievances.”We are following the procedure.There is freedom of speech in this country.”Workers can express themselves and make their feelings known,” said Sackarias.Sackarias said the factory could also not presume that workers who were speaking to the press were members of his union.He said there were in fact hundreds of workers who did not belong to Nafau.”It is clear that the normal procedures will be followed.There will not just be a wild strike.We look forward to a date [for mediation] and to start discussions,” said Sackarias.Employees have also been calling NBC radio phone-in programmes, demanding that Government play open cards and reveal the extent of its agreement with Ramatex.They wanted to know whether there was indeed a written agreement between Government and Ramatex, and whether such agreement included provisions specifically related to workers.”If workers are frustrated and want to speak to the media, that is their democratic right to do so,” a labour consultant told The Namibian regarding the situation.In the very article that Ramatex has now taken offence to, Ong said that the union demands could not be met because of low production at the factory.He said since the factory opened, it had under-performed on expectations and that the company had been “subsidising” production costs.This comes in response an article in The Namibian last week, in which it was reported that workers were unhappy about a wage increase offer of only ten cents an hour.Workers are demanding that their hourly pay rate be raised by between N$3 and N$4, considering that they have worked without an increase since the inception of the factory nearly four years ago.By yesterday, no date had yet been set for mediation to resolve the dispute.In a letter to Nafau, Ramatex said it was “disappointed” that news of the dispute had reached the press, and especially the comments made by union members.The company warned Nafau that any industrial action taken by workers before the dispute procedure had been finalised would be deemed illegal and strikers could face summary dismissal.”Any form of illegal industrial action at this moment in time would seriously jeopardise the continued operation and existence of Ramatex in Namibia,” read the letter signed by Ramatex General Manager BK Ong.Ramatex further said that the negotiations were a sensitive process that could be jeopardised by premature speculation and discussion in and by the press.Workers The Namibian spoke to said they felt the contents of the letter confirmed their suspicions that they were being provoked to resort to action, which would give Ramatex an excuse to close the Windhoek factory and seek more lucrative destinations.”The workers are worried when the meeting is going to be.The situation is calm but workers are only giving them chance until the end of the month, then they will get frustrated,” said one worker.”Workers won’t just strike, they will follow the correct procedures”.Nafau Acting General Secretary Kiros Sackarias said yesterday that it was not being intimidated by the factory and that its members had the right to speak out about their grievances.”We are following the procedure.There is freedom of speech in this country.”Workers can express themselves and make their feelings known,” said Sackarias.Sackarias said the factory could also not presume that workers who were speaking to the press were members of his union.He said there were in fact hundreds of workers who did not belong to Nafau.”It is clear that the normal procedures will be followed.There will not just be a wild strike.We look forward to a date [for mediation] and to start discussions,” said Sackarias.Employees have also been calling NBC radio phone-in programmes, demanding that Government play open cards and reveal the extent of its agreement with Ramatex.They wanted to know whether there was indeed a written agreement between Government and Ramatex, and whether such agreement included provisions specifically related to workers.”If workers are frustrated and want to speak to the media, that is their democratic right to do so,” a labour consultant told The Namibian regarding the situation.In the very article that Ramatex has now taken offence to, Ong said that the union demands could not be met because of low production at the factory.He said since the factory opened, it had under-performed on expectations and that the company had been “subsidising” production costs.