Strike looms at Rosh Pinah

KEETMANSHOOP – Attempts by Labour and Social Welfare Minister Alpheus !Naruseb to ward of a possible strike action by workers on the Rosh Pinah road rehabilitation projects failed to yield the expected results.

!Naruseb travelled to the mining town of Rosh Pinah last week to mediate between Namibian Roads and the workers represented by the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers’ Union (Manwu). However, Manwu regional organiser Raymond Koopman told Nampa on Wednesday that the management of Namibian Roads refused to budge on any of the demands of the employees.The employees are demanding that they should be provided with reasonable accommodation, and transport and food allowances like their South African counterparts.However, Namibian Roads reportedly said that they would only be able to meet these demands if the Roads Authority (RA) made available additional funds.Koopman maintained that the company was receiving enough funds from the RA through its tender and could meet such demands without any additional financing.He claimed that the company stood to receive over N$210 million for the project that stretches for 118 kilometres.There are more than 300 employees working on the project.Namibian Roads and its sub-contractors have been claiming that because the workers were recruited at the town, they are regarded as residents of the town and should provide their own accommodation, since they do not qualify for allowances.However, Manwu is adamant that since Rosh Pinah is a mining town and thus private property as it has not yet been declared a local authority, the employees could not be regarded as local inhabitants.The Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Joel Kaapanda, is expected to visit the mining town in the first week of September to try and solve the dispute.However, Koopman told Nampa that more than 18 months had passed since the dispute first emerged and that the workers were not willing to be patient any longer.Manwu would now demand a conciliation board, after which a strike notice would be served if nothing changed.-NampaHowever, Manwu regional organiser Raymond Koopman told Nampa on Wednesday that the management of Namibian Roads refused to budge on any of the demands of the employees.The employees are demanding that they should be provided with reasonable accommodation, and transport and food allowances like their South African counterparts.However, Namibian Roads reportedly said that they would only be able to meet these demands if the Roads Authority (RA) made available additional funds.Koopman maintained that the company was receiving enough funds from the RA through its tender and could meet such demands without any additional financing.He claimed that the company stood to receive over N$210 million for the project that stretches for 118 kilometres.There are more than 300 employees working on the project.Namibian Roads and its sub-contractors have been claiming that because the workers were recruited at the town, they are regarded as residents of the town and should provide their own accommodation, since they do not qualify for allowances.However, Manwu is adamant that since Rosh Pinah is a mining town and thus private property as it has not yet been declared a local authority, the employees could not be regarded as local inhabitants.The Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Joel Kaapanda, is expected to visit the mining town in the first week of September to try and solve the dispute.However, Koopman told Nampa that more than 18 months had passed since the dispute first emerged and that the workers were not willing to be patient any longer.Manwu would now demand a conciliation board, after which a strike notice would be served if nothing changed.-Nampa