Telecom reinstates worker at centre of Friday’s strike

TELECOM Namibia yesterday backed down by reinstating a female employee who was the reason for a solidarity strike last week by some 80 employees.

Telecom spokesman Oiva Angula confirmed to The Namibian that the company’s Managing Director, Frans Ndoroma, and human resources representatives had a long meeting with the Telecom Namibian Public Workers Union (Napwu) executive, at which the decision was reached. Telecom employees who are Napwu members in Windhoek, Gobabis and Oshakati downed tools on Friday morning from 08h00 to 12h00, citing unfair treatment of the female staff member.The employee, only identified as Lorraine, had been moved by the company from Telecom’s Internet business unit, I-way, in Windhoek and shifted at the same level as financial controller to the finance division.At I-way she was in a front-office position, while at her new position she was to be relocated to a back-office position.This redeployment apparently did not go down well the woman, who allegedly felt she was deliberately being forced out of I-way and accused her employers of victimisation.She refused to move into her new office.This led Telecom to suspend her until September 12, when a meeting was scheduled between her, the company and Napwu.”Telecom realised there was no need to prolong this issue, and we have decided to reinstate the employee to her original position at I-way with immediate effect,” said Angula.He added that there were certain conditions attached to this decision, which would not be made public.Last week Telecom condemned the action by its workers and termed it an illegal strike.”The company’s contention is that the issues identified by the union (Napwu) are contrived as their action was in fact sparked off by an individual union member’s misconduct which the union sought to defend,” the company stated after receiving a petition from the demonstrators on Friday.Angula declined to explain the reasons behind Telecom’s sudden U-turn.Telecom employees who are Napwu members in Windhoek, Gobabis and Oshakati downed tools on Friday morning from 08h00 to 12h00, citing unfair treatment of the female staff member.The employee, only identified as Lorraine, had been moved by the company from Telecom’s Internet business unit, I-way, in Windhoek and shifted at the same level as financial controller to the finance division.At I-way she was in a front-office position, while at her new position she was to be relocated to a back-office position.This redeployment apparently did not go down well the woman, who allegedly felt she was deliberately being forced out of I-way and accused her employers of victimisation.She refused to move into her new office.This led Telecom to suspend her until September 12, when a meeting was scheduled between her, the company and Napwu.”Telecom realised there was no need to prolong this issue, and we have decided to reinstate the employee to her original position at I-way with immediate effect,” said Angula.He added that there were certain conditions attached to this decision, which would not be made public.Last week Telecom condemned the action by its workers and termed it an illegal strike.”The company’s contention is that the issues identified by the union (Napwu) are contrived as their action was in fact sparked off by an individual union member’s misconduct which the union sought to defend,” the company stated after receiving a petition from the demonstrators on Friday.Angula declined to explain the reasons behind Telecom’s sudden U-turn.