Road builders defy court, remain on strike

WORKERS of the Namibian Roads Company have defied a High Court ruling given on Monday, to stop participating in a strike.

The road-building workers – 111 of them – had been on strike since last Thursday, protesting over non-payment of transport, food, accommodation and living away allowances. Despite the union’s attempts to convince workers to obey the court order, they refused to call off the strike until their demands are met, Karas Regional Organiser of the Metal and Allied Workers Union (Manwu), Raymond Koopman, told The Namibian yesterday in a telephone interview.If the workers do not return to work, they could be held in contempt of court and subject to fines or imprisonment.it would be the responsibility of the Namibian Roads Company to ask the Labour Court to hold them in contempt.Koopman said Manwu notice of an interdict was served on short notice, so the time frame was not fair for them to consult defence lawyers to prepare an opposing affidavit in time.A meeting with company management, held on October 28 and 29, reached a deadlock which triggered the strike.The High Court also ruled that the company is entitled to use scab labour for as long as the strike continues.The Road Authority (RA) awarded the Namibian Roads Company a tender to upgrade 119 kilometres of gravel road between Rosh Pinah and Grens, in December 2003.Rosh Pinah is located 160 kilometres south-west of Keetmanshoop.Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa sponsored the project costing about N$ 228 million.Completion of the road is expected in March 2006.In his affidavit submitted to the High Court, Niels Erwin Serrer, the company’s advisor on labour matters, said workers were employed on condition that they reside in Rosh Pinah.Because these workers did not move to the mining town, however, they now are claiming the travel allowance.”This is tantamount to fraud, since workers misrepresented the truth to the company,” he said.The company is not obliged to meet the workers demands, since the company does not have enough money to pay allowances, workers claimed they are entitled to, he said.Koopman and the workers allegedly held 10 managerial employees on the site and locked the main gate to the premises, preventing company trucks from entering, according to Serrer.The company would suffer losses of about N$ 250 000 and N$ 350 000 a day, if the strike continues, he said.RA held the company liable for late delivery of the project, claiming it would suffer a further loss of N$ 10 000 a day, Serrer said.The workers and the union have until January 23 next year to forward an opposing affidavit against the ruling of the High Court.Attempts to get comment proved futile because Namibian Roads Company Director, JA Amstrong was in a meeting.Despite the union’s attempts to convince workers to obey the court order, they refused to call off the strike until their demands are met, Karas Regional Organiser of the Metal and Allied Workers Union (Manwu), Raymond Koopman, told The Namibian yesterday in a telephone interview.If the workers do not return to work, they could be held in contempt of court and subject to fines or imprisonment.it would be the responsibility of the Namibian Roads Company to ask the Labour Court to hold them in contempt.Koopman said Manwu notice of an interdict was served on short notice, so the time frame was not fair for them to consult defence lawyers to prepare an opposing affidavit in time.A meeting with company management, held on October 28 and 29, reached a deadlock which triggered the strike.The High Court also ruled that the company is entitled to use scab labour for as long as the strike continues.The Road Authority (RA) awarded the Namibian Roads Company a tender to upgrade 119 kilometres of gravel road between Rosh Pinah and Grens, in December 2003.Rosh Pinah is located 160 kilometres south-west of Keetmanshoop.Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa sponsored the project costing about N$ 228 million.Completion of the road is expected in March 2006.In his affidavit submitted to the High Court, Niels Erwin Serrer, the company’s advisor on labour matters, said workers were employed on condition that they reside in Rosh Pinah.Because these workers did not move to the mining town, however, they now are claiming the travel allowance.”This is tantamount to fraud, since workers misrepresented the truth to the company,” he said.The company is not obliged to meet the workers demands, since the company does not have enough money to pay allowances, workers claimed they are entitled to, he said.Koopman and the workers allegedly held 10 managerial employees on the site and locked the main gate to the premises, preventing company trucks from entering, according to Serrer.The company would suffer losses of about N$ 250 000 and N$ 350 000 a day, if the strike continues, he said.RA held the company liable for late delivery of the project, claiming it would suffer a further loss of N$ 10 000 a day, Serrer said.The workers and the union have until January 23 next year to forward an opposing affidavit against the ruling of the High Court.Attempts to get comment proved futile because Namibian Roads Company Director, JA Amstrong was in a meeting.