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Namibia: Strike Looms at Skorpion
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New Era (Windhoek)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Desie Heita
Windhoek
The Mineworkers Union of Namibia has given Skorpion Zinc Mine notice of an industrial stayaway effective today at midnight.
Skorpion Zinc Mine has been locked in negotiations with the Mineworkers
Union of Namibia (MUN) over wages and salary increments since April 21.
"We have received the notice of strike and obviously we are doing everything we can to avert the strike," spokesperson for Skorpion Zinc, Usi //Hoebeb, said yesterday.
Negotiators for the mine management and the union failed to reach consensus on their own and went to a conciliation board on April 29 and 30.
Arbitration by the Namibian Labour Commissioner failed, leading to the call for a strike. MUN members make up nearly three-quarters of Skorpion Zinc's 650-strong workforce. Anglo Base Metal owns the Skorpion Zinc mine.
Yesterday, the two parties held a meeting in Windhoek to solicit legal advice on the best route to take.
The best route, it seems, is an industrial strike. Sources also said that the mine decided to lock out the workers.
The union initially asked for a 15 percent increase in wages, while the mine offered 11 to 12 percent. The union is accusing the mine management of negotiating in bad faith as it eventually dropped its initial offer to a 10 percent across-the-board increase.
Situated 25 km north of Rosh Pinah in southern Namibia, Skorpion Zinc produces 150000 tonnes of special high-grade (SHG) zinc per annum.
Simmering at the bottom of the wage and salary increments are the past issues of salary structures and affirmative action, which further frustrate workers.
Branch chairman for the Mineworkers Union at the South, Michaeleno Kadhikwa said Skorpion Zinc failed to implement a salary structure with black workers paid the same salary across the board. He also said the mine's affirmative action report has not been approved for the past five years because the understudy development is not in place.
Kadhikwa said the union has been fighting to resolve a host of issues with the mine management since October last year. He said the frustrations have left workers with no other option but to ensure that their voices are heard and their demands are met.
Workers' grievances include that employees do not receive overtime for working on Sundays and public holidays, a practice that the union said contravenes the laws of the country.
MUN also alleges that qualified Namibians who meet the requirements for the posts of supervisors and managers are not appointed and the jobs are given to white unqualified expatriates.
"The real sad part of these unfair practices is that these people only have Grade 8 qualifications and some were previously storekeepers and police officers in their own countries," said Kadhikwa.
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The union said the disciplinary code the mine management employs is too strict and as a result, a number of workers were dismissed from the mine.
//Hoebeb declined to comment on the allegations, saying: "We cannot comment at this time. As we have said we are doing everything we can to resolve the matter."
Additional reporting by Anneline van Wyk.
Michaeleno Kadhikwa has always been a trouble maker with an hidden agenda. Even at his previous company. They were extremely happy to see him leave.
I am a Namibian, and I can not believe how my people are lied to by MUN and Michaeleno Kadhikwa. Our people that are participating in the strike (who stands a change to loose their pay during this strike period and even in a worse case scenario their jobs) are puppets in a game that MUN and Michaeleno Kadhikwa are playing.
I can only pray that their (the people on strike) eyes will open to... [Read Full Text]
I am Extremely proud of all the loyal workers of Skorpion Zinc. This small group of people are standing together, keeping the mine process going, without complaining. There loved ones are last on there lists of prioreties. These men and woman,from different parts of the world are sticking together through very negative times. Keeping their chins up, allways...ALLWAYS possitive. People, this is true loyalty and respect. I am a proud fan!!!! Thank you, you are the best...
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