THE strike by Tunacor employees at Walvis Bay is about to enter a third month while a solution to the deadlock between the fishing company and the Namibian Seamen and Allied Workers Union (Nasawu) remains elusive.
Nasawu president Paulus Hango said on Tuesday that the strike, which started on July 21, was continuing. About 400 Tunacor workers downed tools following a breakdown in wage negotiations.The situation was further complicated when Nasawu won an interim Labour Court ruling preventing Tunacor from using non-striking workers or hiring temporary workers to do the work of those on strike. Two weeks ago the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna), to which Nasawu is affiliated, entered the fray when its general secretary Mahongora Kavihuha accused Tunacor of being in violation of the interim order.Kavihuha said Tunacor continued to use scab labour and had instructed non-striking workers to do the work of those on strike.Hango charged yesterday that Tunacor continued to violate the interim order.He said Nasawu would ask the Labour Court to hold Tunacor in contempt of court, but could not say when this would be done.When asked whether Nasawu was still open for negotiation with Tunacor, Hango responded: ‘We are trying to negotiate.’ He charged that Tunacor had been non-committal and said the strike would continue until a solution to the deadlock was found.The Nasawu president further accused Tunacor of worker victimisation. The strikers will not be paid for the duration of the strike.
