Workers protest job cuts at CIC

MEMBERS of the Namibia Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Nafau) yesterday protested against 91 job cuts at CIC Holdings, a large importer and distributor of fast-moving consumer goods.

Nafau President Abel Kazondunga claimed that the restructuring exercise only affected black workers. Nafau also alleged that CIC “deliberately” terminated the recognition agreement with the union, stopped negotiations and was “dictatorial”.The company, which has its head office in South Africa, was further accused of using “inexperienced and incapable negotiators” who did not understand labour matters and how to deal with unions.”It is unacceptable to us that certain functions are to be outsourced to a certain company, Labour Supply Chain (LSC),” Kazondunga added.Nafau shop steward at CIC, Eunice Tjerije, handed over the Nafau petition to CIC sales manager Frans Opperman.Although the CIC management invited the media for a briefing afterwards, they did not pitch up.Only a middleman, Cor Beuke of a group called the National Organisation for Small and Medium Enterprises (Nosmena), was present.Beuke said the CIC management was “too busy” to speak to reporters, and that he was not mandated to inform the press about the reasons for the “restructuring”.Nafau also alleged that CIC “deliberately” terminated the recognition agreement with the union, stopped negotiations and was “dictatorial”.The company, which has its head office in South Africa, was further accused of using “inexperienced and incapable negotiators” who did not understand labour matters and how to deal with unions.”It is unacceptable to us that certain functions are to be outsourced to a certain company, Labour Supply Chain (LSC),” Kazondunga added.Nafau shop steward at CIC, Eunice Tjerije, handed over the Nafau petition to CIC sales manager Frans Opperman.Although the CIC management invited the media for a briefing afterwards, they did not pitch up.Only a middleman, Cor Beuke of a group called the National Organisation for Small and Medium Enterprises (Nosmena), was present.Beuke said the CIC management was “too busy” to speak to reporters, and that he was not mandated to inform the press about the reasons for the “restructuring”.