Food manufacturer Namib Mills has not been able to reach an agreement with its striking workers, despite progress in negotiations.
Namib Mills workers, represented by the Namibia Revolutionary Transport and Manufacturing Union (Naretu), say they are unable to reach an agreement due to threats from the company.
“We want to be treated as human beings. As much as we want to go in there, they have sent us a threatening internal memo saying that striking employees will be subject to disciplinary hearings,” Naretu commander-in-chief Petersen Kambinda told the media on Friday.
He said there had been significant progress after four rounds of meetings between the company, workers, and minister of justice and labour relations Wise Immanuel.
“But the fear of disciplinary action and the ‘arrogance’ displayed by the company meant the workers would continue their industrial action into a ninth consecutive week,” Kambinda said.
He also repeated his claims that the continued industrial action at Namib Mills would soon lead to a national food crisis, as the company produces food staples such as Top Score maize meal and Bakpro flour.
Namib Mills on Friday said it would pursue disciplinary action against its workers for breaking strike rules.
“During the course of the industrial action, a small number of individuals participated in unlawful actions that breached strike rules and the laws governing industrial action in Namibia. They intimidated, threatened, and in some instances physically harmed our employees,” Namib Mills trade marketing manager Learni van Wyk said in a media release.
The company said it had reached broad agreements with the union on substantive wage issues and was ready to lift the lockout.
Van Wyk attributed the continuing industrial action to the union, saying Naretu had added demands that are not included in the scope of substantive wage negotiations.
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