Wage dispute at Luederitz

SALARY negotiations between the Luederitz Town Council and its workers have reached a deadlock.According to the chairman of the Luederitz branch of the Namibian Public Workers Union (Napwu), Reinhold Ihuhua, council workers declared a dispute after the council’s executive management failed to implement salary increases approved by the council in May.

The council had resolved to budget N$304 000 for salary increases for ordinary workers. But Ihuhua said N$24 000 of this amount was unlawfully set aside to increase the salaries of managers.”The executive management is to be blamed for this, since there is a possibility that the executive management tampered with the resolution minutes of the council to justify their illegal acts,” he told The Namibian.Ihuhua said the salary increment was far below the salary budget yardstick set by the line ministry, which is five per cent.”They [executive management] even failed to consider the budget amount proposed by the union,” he said.In addition, Ihuhua said the council had no operational policies to guide it, resulting in a lack of a proper salary structure, grading system and job descriptions for workers.”This allows the executive management to do as their wish,” he said.The town’s Mayor also came under fire for using his official vehicle around the clock for personal trips.According to Ihuhua, who works for the Town Council, complaints about the use of the car have fallen on deaf ears.”Enough is enough, the time has come to expose ongoing malpractices at the Luederitz Town Council,” he said.Approached for comment on Saturday, Mayor George Shimanene said he could not discuss the salary issue.”The executive management is dealing with the salary negotiations, thus I can only shed light on Monday after consultations with them,” he said.Regarding his use of the official car, the mayor said his fellow councillors and top administrators had no objections to him using it throughout the day.”I’m not ferried around by a council driver, as was the case with my predecessor,” he said.But Ihuhua said N$24 000 of this amount was unlawfully set aside to increase the salaries of managers.”The executive management is to be blamed for this, since there is a possibility that the executive management tampered with the resolution minutes of the council to justify their illegal acts,” he told The Namibian.Ihuhua said the salary increment was far below the salary budget yardstick set by the line ministry, which is five per cent.”They [executive management] even failed to consider the budget amount proposed by the union,” he said.In addition, Ihuhua said the council had no operational policies to guide it, resulting in a lack of a proper salary structure, grading system and job descriptions for workers.”This allows the executive management to do as their wish,” he said.The town’s Mayor also came under fire for using his official vehicle around the clock for personal trips.According to Ihuhua, who works for the Town Council, complaints about the use of the car have fallen on deaf ears.”Enough is enough, the time has come to expose ongoing malpractices at the Luederitz Town Council,” he said.Approached for comment on Saturday, Mayor George Shimanene said he could not discuss the salary issue.”The executive management is dealing with the salary negotiations, thus I can only shed light on Monday after consultations with them,” he said.Regarding his use of the official car, the mayor said his fellow councillors and top administrators had no objections to him using it throughout the day.”I’m not ferried around by a council driver, as was the case with my predecessor,” he said.