Strike looms at Ramatex factory

THE cancellation of a meeting between Ramatex and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) yesterday may have set the scene for industrial action at the Windhoek factory within the next few days.

Nafau said yesterday that they were through with trying to negotiate with the Malaysian-based company, which it says has time and time again shown reluctance to enter into any meaningful talks on salary increases and working conditions. Nafau representatives apparently arrived at the factory 20 minutes late for a scheduled meeting yesterday, where these issues were to be discussed.Upon their arrival, Nafau General Secretary Kiros Sacharias said they were informed by management that, since they were late, the meeting had been cancelled and the negotiations were off.Management had also threatened the union with closing the factory, Sacharias claimed to The Namibian yesterday.This led to the union calling an impromptu meeting with employees on the factory premises during lunch time, where Nafau informed workers of its reaffirmed stance on their employer.”This was just a cheap excuse,” Sacharias said about the factory’s calling off negotiations.”We wanted to see our members because the way (Ramatex) is behaving; they’re making a mockery of their employees.”The union has proposed that workers vote on whether to go on strike, Sacharias said.He said workers were waiting for instructions from his office on how to proceed, and he would also have to inform the management of the plans.Where the situation was heading would be clear by the end of this week, Sacharias said.”If they decide to close, then so be it.But we can no longer stand by while they suck the blood from our people.We’ve tried diplomacy to the point where our members have lost faith in us, and are even insulting us.”Even Government, it seems, has not been able find a solution.The company started in 2001, and we’re going into 2007 without having gone anywhere,” Sacharias said.He said the issue of Ramatex had received considerable attention at Nafau’s recent national congress, and a decision to take a firmer stance on the company was taken.Ramatex workers have lost faith in the union, he acknowledged, with membership among the company’s employees dwindling from around 6 000 to around 1 200 to 1 000, he said.Ramatex General Manager BK Ong confirmed that management had cancelled the meeting because Nafau had arrived late, but denied that they had mentioned closing the Windhoek factory.”Sometimes they’re busy.We’re also busy.We must just reschedule,” Ong told The Namibian upon enquiry, adding that meetings had been cancelled before at the request of Nafau.While workers have been fighting for a salary increase doubling their hourly rate, which for most workers ranges between N$3 and N$4, the company has complained of low productivity, and on various occasions threatened to pull out of the country.Earlier this year, Ramatex gave Government an ultimatum: buy the factory or find another buyer.Government instead proposed a turnaround strategy which would increase productivity.Nafau representatives apparently arrived at the factory 20 minutes late for a scheduled meeting yesterday, where these issues were to be discussed.Upon their arrival, Nafau General Secretary Kiros Sacharias said they were informed by management that, since they were late, the meeting had been cancelled and the negotiations were off.Management had also threatened the union with closing the factory, Sacharias claimed to The Namibian yesterday.This led to the union calling an impromptu meeting with employees on the factory premises during lunch time, where Nafau informed workers of its reaffirmed stance on their employer.”This was just a cheap excuse,” Sacharias said about the factory’s calling off negotiations.”We wanted to see our members because the way (Ramatex) is behaving; they’re making a mockery of their employees.”The union has proposed that workers vote on whether to go on strike, Sacharias said.He said workers were waiting for instructions from his office on how to proceed, and he would also have to inform the management of the plans.Where the situation was heading would be clear by the end of this week, Sacharias said.”If they decide to close, then so be it.But we can no longer stand by while they suck the blood from our people.We’ve tried diplomacy to the point where our members have lost faith in us, and are even insulting us.”Even Government, it seems, has not been able find a solution.The company started in 2001, and we’re going into 2007 without having gone anywhere,” Sacharias said.He said the issue of Ramatex had received considerable attention at Nafau’s recent national congress, and a decision to take a firmer stance on the company was taken.Ramatex workers have lost faith in the union, he acknowledged, with membership among the company’s employees dwindling from around 6 000 to around 1 200 to 1 000, he said.Ramatex General Manager BK Ong confirmed that management had cancelled the meeting because Nafau had arrived late, but denied that they had mentioned closing the Windhoek factory.”Sometimes they’re busy.We’re also busy.We must just reschedule,” Ong told The Namibian upon enquiry, adding that meetings had been cancelled before at the request of Nafau.While workers have been fighting for a salary increase doubling their hourly rate, which for most workers ranges between N$3 and N$4, the company has complained of low productivity, and on various occasions threatened to pull out of the country.Earlier this year, Ramatex gave Government an ultimatum: buy the factory or find another buyer.Government instead proposed a turnaround strategy which would increase productivity.