Unions, Chinese go head to head on labour relations

Unions, Chinese go head to head on labour relations

WINDHOEK – Chinese-owned businesses operating in Namibia have come under fire from unions who accuse them of poor labour relations, allegedly paying workers starvation wages and showing a general disregard of the country’s labour laws.

National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda on Tuesday said the union federation was shocked by Chinese businesspeople’s abuse and disregard for the Namibian worker. “Some Chinese simply decide to hire and fire people at will, he claimed.And many of their employees do not belong to any union, making negotiations near impossible,” he charged.”In short, Chinese businesses are hostile towards unions,” he said.Kaaronda made the statement at a consultative meeting held to clarify issues between trade unions and Chinese businesses at the Office of the Labour Commissioner on Tuesday.The meeting was convened by Labour Commissioner Bro-Matthew Shinguadja and was also attended by a representative of the Namibia Investment Centre (NIC) and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Namibia.The unionist also claimed that most Chinese businesses did not appoint Namibian understudies, especially in technical areas such as construction.”There must be restrictions put up when we allow investors to come into Namibia.We can’t allow Chinese to do work that Namibians can do.Why should Chinese business people own and operate taxis? What do we want to achieve as a country in terms of industrial policy if we allow such things,” he asked.Responding to a question on why people who worked for Chinese businesses were paid below the minimum wage, Chris Lim of China Jiangsu International said there was a general lack of skilled and qualified manpower in Namibia.”Some people lack basic skills and need training.This is then linked to productivity.If I am not qualified and I do substandard work, you cannot pay me above the minimum wage if you were the boss,” he said.Lim said other challenges facing many Chinese businesspeople were cultural differences and their limited knowledge of the English language.To this last remark, Kaaronda retorted: “Chinese businesspeople are just insincere and hypocritical.”He claimed that some Chinese would speak English to you when there was no problem, but then conveniently forgot to speak English when problems arose.As the consultative conference began to heat up, Paulus Hango, the President of the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna), rose to launch a blistering attack on Chinese businesses.”Workers are earning starvation wages and there are no proper contracts either,” he claimed.”And some of the products that are imported into our country by the Chinese businesses are so cheap that local businesses can no longer compete with them.At the end of the day, all our money is just going out of the country.”Shinguadja frequently had to calm the two parties by reminding them that the meeting was just a consultative engagement to improve relations between Chinese businesses, workers and trade unions.But he also reminded the Chinese businesspeople that, at all times, their operations had to be guided by the relevant national laws and regulations that governed the country’s labour relations.”We value your investments and your contribution to the Namibian economy.But that should be equated with the statutory provisions of labour legislation of Namibia for the creation of mutual benefit and trust between business and labour,” he said.This was the first consultative meeting organised by the Office of the Labour Commissioner to bring unionists and the Chinese business community together to discuss labour relations.Nampa”Some Chinese simply decide to hire and fire people at will, he claimed.And many of their employees do not belong to any union, making negotiations near impossible,” he charged.”In short, Chinese businesses are hostile towards unions,” he said.Kaaronda made the statement at a consultative meeting held to clarify issues between trade unions and Chinese businesses at the Office of the Labour Commissioner on Tuesday. The meeting was convened by Labour Commissioner Bro-Matthew Shinguadja and was also attended by a representative of the Namibia Investment Centre (NIC) and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Namibia.The unionist also claimed that most Chinese businesses did not appoint Namibian understudies, especially in technical areas such as construction.”There must be restrictions put up when we allow investors to come into Namibia.We can’t allow Chinese to do work that Namibians can do.Why should Chinese business people own and operate taxis? What do we want to achieve as a country in terms of industrial policy if we allow such things,” he asked.Responding to a question on why people who worked for Chinese businesses were paid below the minimum wage, Chris Lim of China Jiangsu International said there was a general lack of skilled and qualified manpower in Namibia.”Some people lack basic skills and need training.This is then linked to productivity.If I am not qualified and I do substandard work, you cannot pay me above the minimum wage if you were the boss,” he said.Lim said other challenges facing many Chinese businesspeople were cultural differences and their limited knowledge of the English language.To this last remark, Kaaronda retorted: “Chinese businesspeople are just insincere and hypocritical.”He claimed that some Chinese would speak English to you when there was no problem, but then conveniently forgot to speak English when problems arose.As the consultative conference began to heat up, Paulus Hango, the President of the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna), rose to launch a blistering attack on Chinese businesses.”Workers are earning starvation wages and there are no proper contracts either,” he claimed.”And some of the products that are imported into our country by the Chinese businesses are so cheap that local businesses can no longer compete with them.At the end of the day, all our money is just going out of the country.”Shinguadja frequently had to calm the two parties by reminding them that the meeting was just a consultative engagement to improve relations between Chinese businesses, workers and trade unions.But he also reminded the Chinese businesspeople that, at all times, their operations had to be guided by the relevant national laws and regulations that governed the country’s labour relations.”We value your investments and your contribution to the Namibian economy.But that should be equated with the statutory provisions of labour legislation of Namibia for the creation of mutual benefit and trust between business and labour,” he said.This was the first consultative meeting organised by the Office of the Labour Commissioner to bring unionists and the Chinese business community together to discuss labour relations.Nampa

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