Union welcomes ban on labour hire

THE exclusion of labour-hire services from the new Labour Act means Namibia has taken a huge step in doing away with the cruelty, abuse and general inhumanity that has characterised the concept of contract labour, according to the Public Service Union of Namibia.

PSUN Secretary General Victor Kazonyati said the old labour-contract system and labour hire were “identical twins”, as they were the same in all but name. “In both systems employees are robbed of basic employment benefits such as pensions, medical aid and such other benefits that you would generally negotiate into a contractual employment relationship,” he said.He said certain employers respected and contributed to the wellbeing of employees by paying for their pensions and healthcare, “while others, as a rule, do not”.”The fact of the matter is that these so-called specialist entities who come to Namibia primarily to do large-scale retail business are themselves in need of our market.Otherwise they will not come here.Now, when they come here, they must do business on our terms and not theirs,” the PSUN said.”In both systems employees are robbed of basic employment benefits such as pensions, medical aid and such other benefits that you would generally negotiate into a contractual employment relationship,” he said.He said certain employers respected and contributed to the wellbeing of employees by paying for their pensions and healthcare, “while others, as a rule, do not”.”The fact of the matter is that these so-called specialist entities who come to Namibia primarily to do large-scale retail business are themselves in need of our market.Otherwise they will not come here.Now, when they come here, they must do business on our terms and not theirs,” the PSUN said.