Informal traders bemoan conduct of labour arbitrators

The Namibia Informal Traders and Shebeen Workers Union (NITSWU) on Friday demonstrated against the conduct of some labour arbitrators, alleging that they are not competent enough to protect the rights of workers.

The demonstration was staged in front of the Ministry of Labour, Industrialisation and Employment-Creation, where the union’s secretary general Mathew Stephanus handed over a petition containing various demands to the ministry’s acting executive director, Lydia Indombo.

In their petition, Stephanus claimed that some arbitrators in the ministry only work for their own gain at the expense of workers as they take bribes from employers to stop investigating unfair labour practices that workers face on a daily basis. The union is, therefore, requesting minister Utoni Nujoma to investigate the arbitrators and hold them accountable for failing workers.

“Employees are subjected to humiliation and insults, and are underpaid with no Social Security protection at all. We are demanding fair treatment for employees; we are sick and tired of Namibian and foreign companies not complying with the relevant legislations,” charged Stephanus.

He added that all workers should be treated equally and not as second-class citizens because article 10 of the Namibian constitution guarantees all citizens equal rights. But as it stands, article 10 is being undermined by many employers.

“Most employers have drawn a line between two zones, one being reserved for those who are entitled to all sorts of benefits, and the other for the masses such as cleaners, security guards and all perceived second-class employees who are not recognised by either their employers or government,” stated Stephanus.

Healsotookissuewiththeoffice of the Labour Commissioner for delaying the finalisation of cases filed by the union, which he said take up to three years to be finalised.

While receiving the petition, Indombo said the minister is not in office due to other equally important commitments, but gave her assurance that he will receive the petition and revert back to the union in due course.

-Nampa