Retrenched Cross Country staff paid

ABOUT 107 employees retrenched by Cross Country Carriers last month have finally received their severance packages.

The company paid out the money yesterday afternoon after dozens of angry former employees besieged its premises for hours, bringing business to a standstill. The company, which informed its staff last month that it was winding down its operations due “economic difficulties”, apparently first wanted some time until Friday to pay the packages but the former workers refused.”We don’t trust them [company management], we have to get our money today in accordance with the retrenchment agreement we signed,” one of the retrenched workers and former senior shop-steward, Daniel Kauapirura, told The Namibian yesterday.About 30 of Cross Country Carriers’ former employee have since taken up employment with Coastal Couriers which has taken over the overnight service and resumed responsibility for Cross Country’s various depots around the country.Namibia Freight Consolidators, the company’s wholesale transport arm, which now operates under new management, has retained some of the workers.Cross Country Director Leon Taljard was quoted as saying his former workforce were erroneously informed that the company was closing down.He said the company had agreed to mergers and new management for various subsidiaries.When The Namibian visited Cross Country’s head office in Windhoek yesterday morning, it was discovered that the retrenched workers had been joined by the retained workforce after management had locked all gates to allegedly “prevent chaos”.Those still employed demanded a distribution of their pension fund, which had been frozen since June last year after it was allegedly found that the company was not regularly paying in the workers’ monthly contributions.When The Namibian ultimately tracked down Taljard on his mobile phone he said he was too busy to discuss the issue.”I am busy working, everyone is busy working, I am paying out the pension fund … thank you, bye,” he said before hanging up.Kauapirura later confirmed that the packages were indeed paid out and “we are satisfied”.Cross Country Carriers is one of the country’s oldest courier companies.It was established more than 20 years ago.The company, which informed its staff last month that it was winding down its operations due “economic difficulties”, apparently first wanted some time until Friday to pay the packages but the former workers refused.”We don’t trust them [company management], we have to get our money today in accordance with the retrenchment agreement we signed,” one of the retrenched workers and former senior shop-steward, Daniel Kauapirura, told The Namibian yesterday.About 30 of Cross Country Carriers’ former employee have since taken up employment with Coastal Couriers which has taken over the overnight service and resumed responsibility for Cross Country’s various depots around the country.Namibia Freight Consolidators, the company’s wholesale transport arm, which now operates under new management, has retained some of the workers.Cross Country Director Leon Taljard was quoted as saying his former workforce were erroneously informed that the company was closing down.He said the company had agreed to mergers and new management for various subsidiaries.When The Namibian visited Cross Country’s head office in Windhoek yesterday morning, it was discovered that the retrenched workers had been joined by the retained workforce after management had locked all gates to allegedly “prevent chaos”.Those still employed demanded a distribution of their pension fund, which had been frozen since June last year after it was allegedly found that the company was not regularly paying in the workers’ monthly contributions.When The Namibian ultimately tracked down Taljard on his mobile phone he said he was too busy to discuss the issue.”I am busy working, everyone is busy working, I am paying out the pension fund … thank you, bye,” he said before hanging up.Kauapirura later confirmed that the packages were indeed paid out and “we are satisfied”.Cross Country Carriers is one of the country’s oldest courier companies.It was established more than 20 years ago.