Walvis Bay — Gendev Fishing Group workers are demanding for the removal of chairperson Paulina Haindongo and deputy Andreas Joseph following the company's failure to honour a wage agreement.
The workers yesterday petitioned Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa and the party's secretary for economic affairs, Bernadette Jagger, to remove the two directors over alleged mismanagement and violation of a wage agreement signed barely three weeks ago.
Workers' spokesperson Aina Nampweya said the agreement reached between Gendev and the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union (Nasawu) at the end of August has not been honoured.
The agreement was expected to see workers receiving improved salaries from the end of August.
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However, workers yesterday said the company failed to honour the agreement, while some of the workers have not returned to work since the strike.
The workers' 28-day strike ended at the end of August after the company and Nasawu signed a wage agreement.
Under the agreement, general workers were to receive a basic salary of N$6 000, a N$1 000 housing allowance, an annual bonus equal to 50% of their basic salary, improved transport arrangements and other benefits.
However, the workers claim they were later informed that they would only be paid for the days they worked during August and according to the old wage rate.
Nasawu president Paulus Hango said workers had made compromises during negotiations to end the strike and allow the company to continue operating.
He said workers initially demanded a 10-month bonus of about N$38 000 per employee but agreed to reduce this to N$2 600, payable in two instalments of N$1 300 in August and September.
According to Hango, this was done on the understanding that workers would receive their agreed basic salary for August.
"It was really agreed, and now we were surprised to learn that meetings were held by shareholders after we signed the agreement," he said.
Hango said workers later discovered that the decision had allegedly been reversed and that they would only be paid for days worked, using the old wage rate.
"It's very unfair for the company to agree to the basic salary to be paid in August, and then after that they have another meeting again to reverse that decision," he said.
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He said the workers were unhappy because the agreement had already been signed between the company and the union.
"You cannot operate that way. That's why now you see these workers are demonstrating here," Hango said.
The workers are now calling on the shareholders to remove Haindongo and Joseph, saying they have lost confidence in the way the company is being run.
According to Hango, workers want Gendev to succeed but will continue pushing for their own rights.
He added that workers are also calling for fishing quotas allocated to Gendev to be used in a manner that protects their jobs and employment security.
Contacted yesterday for comment; Haindongo said that she was not aware of the demand for her removal.
"I cannot comment on Gendev Fishing Group matters. I am not the chairperson of that board," she said, despite the company's website indicating that she is the chairperson.
