Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu)

Unions, Govt to butt heads over strike rules….Geingob cancels overseas trips amid strike

Unions, Govt to butt heads over strike rules….Geingob cancels overseas trips amid strike

Obrein Simasiku Unions representing civil servants in the looming national strike will tomorrow butt heads with the government, as they sit to set rules to guide the picketing process, after the workers overwhelmingly voted in favour of an industrial action. About 96 percent voted in favour of the strike during the two-day voting period that ended on Friday. Meanwhile at an eleventh hour President Hage Geingob has decided to cancel his overseas State visits to Jamaica and Cuba, saying he will need to attend to the slated strike because its a pressing domestic matter. “We have a meeting with the…
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Napwu insists NBC marriage exists

Napwu insists NBC marriage exists

TUJOROMAJO KASUTO DESPITE the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) informing the Namibia Public Workers' Union (Napwu) that they had been stripped of bargaining rights at the state broadcaster, the union's Secretary General, Petrus Nevonga, is adamant that the status quo remains. “Our bargaining power is in force and we have not lost that at NBC,” says Nevonga refuting claims that the Union had lost 50 percent of its members at the broadcaster. “How authentic is the claim that the union has lost 50 percent of its members?” he asks. NBC Spokesperson, Umbi Karuaihe-Upi, says the broadcaster and Napwu signed a confidential…
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NBC signs deal to end strike

NBC signs deal to end strike

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Board on Wednesday afternoon announced that it had struck an agreement with the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) to bring the on-going strike at the national broadcaster to an end. The industrial action, which has been in force since 22 April, and has seen much of the broadcaster’s services taken off air after most of the employees downed their tools, was ended after Napwu signed an agreement with the NBC Board and senior management. “Within the spirit of wanting to resolve the matter, the NBC’s Leadership, led by the Board Chairperson, Lazarus Jacobs…
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NAPWU clueless about Gvt retrenchment plans

NAPWU clueless about Gvt retrenchment plans

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU) says it’s not aware and has not been consulted over government plans contained in an International Monetary Fund (IMF) funding proposal to implement an early retirement scheme during financial year 2022/2023-2023/2024 as a means to contain the civil service wage bill. Although it’s not clear how many government employees will be affected if government moves ahead with the proposal contained in the IMF’s staff supports authorities’ medium-term fiscal consolidation strategy to preserve fiscal and debt sustainability, the measures are aimed at reducing its huge public service wage bill. Namibia according to government…
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NamRa secrecy irks NAPWU

NamRa secrecy irks NAPWU

Andrew Kathindi The Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU) has accused the Ministry of Finance of being secretive and failing to consult in the establishment of the Namibia Revenue Agency’s (NamRA) HR structures, amid concern the agency could become a gravy train for top management. According to the union, the agency is trying to create a management structure where a select few will benefit from bloated benefits, not in line with existing government pay structures, defeating its intended purpose. In a letter to the Finance Ministry Executive Director, Erica Shafudah, which is in the possession of Windhoek Observer, the public workers…
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Pressure mounts on Shoprite

Pressure mounts on Shoprite

Maria Hamutenya Pressure continues to mount on the Shoprite group over the ongoing wage saga with its workers after the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), the country’s largest union, called on its members to boycott buying from the retail giant. NUNW calls came after Labour Minister, Uutoni Nujoma, was recently reported in the media urging members of the public to stop buying from Shoprite stores until the company resolves the dispute with its employees. NUNW Secretary-General, Job Muniaro, called for “a genuine negotiation between Shoprite and its workers.” “We call for international support even from countries that have Shoprite…
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