Security guard mediation kicks off

TWO unions representing security guards and the Security Association of Namibia (SAN) have proposed Otniel Podewiltz of the Employment Equity Commission as the chairman of a conciliation board to mediate a salary dispute.

The board will hold its first meeting tomorrow. The SAN has reaffirmed that it will only negotiate on the minimum wage at entry level, and not other conditions of service or the unions’ demand for a 15 per cent salary increase across the board.”The unions want to negotiate on agendas falling outside the mandate.The minimum wage was initiated by the SAN as a starting point when the unions got involved and because it falls within the mandate we are willing to negotiate on a minimum wage,” said Deon du Toit, who is a member of SAN.He said SAN was an association of security companies and did not have a mandate from its members to act beyond the agreement and negotiate wages in general.”It is impractical and virtually impossible to determine wages nationwide for the security industry because each employer’s situation differs,” he said.The Secretary General of the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Natau), John Kwedhi, said that the negotiations had been held up in order for procedures to be dealt with appropriately.”If SAN members are not willing to negotiate and make an acceptable offer the unions will find a way to deal with the outcome,” Kwedhi said.The SAN has reaffirmed that it will only negotiate on the minimum wage at entry level, and not other conditions of service or the unions’ demand for a 15 per cent salary increase across the board. “The unions want to negotiate on agendas falling outside the mandate.The minimum wage was initiated by the SAN as a starting point when the unions got involved and because it falls within the mandate we are willing to negotiate on a minimum wage,” said Deon du Toit, who is a member of SAN.He said SAN was an association of security companies and did not have a mandate from its members to act beyond the agreement and negotiate wages in general.”It is impractical and virtually impossible to determine wages nationwide for the security industry because each employer’s situation differs,” he said.The Secretary General of the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Natau), John Kwedhi, said that the negotiations had been held up in order for procedures to be dealt with appropriately.”If SAN members are not willing to negotiate and make an acceptable offer the unions will find a way to deal with the outcome,” Kwedhi said.