Jana-Mari Smith
21 April 2011
BY the time of going to press yesterday, Air Namibia management and the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Natau) were still engaged in last-minute negotiations to stave off a strike that was planned to begin last night.
The Namibian was reliably informed that Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was consulted during the last-minute talks.
At 16h00 Air Namibia’s management requested John Kwedhu, general secretary of Natau, to visit the Air Namibia offices for an “urgent meeting”.
Kwedhi said he was told that management was given “a new mandate” to negotiate a deal with the union.
By yesterday afternoon it was not clear whether the strike would go ahead as planned or be called off if the parties reached an agreement. Kwedhu could confirm, however, that an “overwhelming” majority of union members voted for a strike in order to force the airline’s hand.
More than 300 Air Namibia workers were expected to strike today, a move that would paralyse Air Namibia’s ground operations and possibly its international flights.
According to a source within Air Namibia, the management team had consulted with the board during the day to get the mandate to bring an acceptable deal to the table.
But, the source said, Air Namibia’s management had not taken the union’s negotiators during the past eight months seriously and the threatening strike was a result of them not being “concerned what happens to the airline”.
He said their attitude until yesterday had been “go on strike. But they knew they cannot afford a strike”.
In addition to the last-minute talks, Air Namibia was allegedly prepared to go to the High Court last night in order to obtain an interdict against the strike.
Air Namibia ground staff are demanding a monthly transport allowance of N$300 plus a housing allowance of N$550.
In addition to the allowances, the union says they are now demanding pay increases of 12 per cent, 9 per cent and 8 per cent for the three salary levels.
AllAfrica – All the Time
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