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Strike in full swing at Walvis Bay inside Salt Holdings
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Photo by Bernabé Blaauw
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The striking workers at Walvis Bay Salt Holdings as seen on Monday morning
The ongoing labour dispute between employees of Walvis Bay Salt Holdings and the company’s management has reached a climax, with employees downing tools yesterday. The quarrel started after the company’s management allegedly set down additional conditions, while busy negotiating with the workers’ bargaining unit, the Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN). These conditions supposedly include a change of lunchtime periods, whereby employees will be obliged to have their lunchtime in different time-frames, to ensure continuous production, and also the reduction of leave days from an average of 30 days per year to 25 days. The change in current shift hours is seemingly also a condition and the workers say this change is to convenience management and inconve-
nience the workers, who are putting the salt in the market. One of the employees’ main concerns is the fact that the company allegedly aims to reduce their medical aid benefit too, by changing it to a fixed amount. According to the employees, this will crush the current medical aid benefit of a 65:35 contribution ratio. Further allegations of a discriminatory salary structure were also made. “It is common cause and admitted that discrimination does exist in all grades, due to various factors such as race, ethnicity and favouritism in this modern Namibia at Walvis Bay Salt Holdings,” a letter by the
MUN states. Some of the workers namib times spoke to, say they are willing to agree on an average increase of 10,3%, to all bargaining unit employees, back-dated to 1 March 2015, as was proposed by the company, but refuse to accept the company’s conditions. “We will continue with the strike until they (management) give in to our terms. In the meantime, it’s the company losing millions of dollars per day,” was the workers’ telephonic response last night. The company’s managing director, Mr André Snyman, says that they are in constant discussions with the local workers’ committee Large Cabbage
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since November 2014, regarding the allegations of discriminatory salary practices, and have worked on a proposal in order to rectify any historical discrepancies. According to this proposal an average increase of 10,3%, to all bargaining unit employees, back-dated to 1 March 2015 is offered. In certain cases increase up to 17% has been offered, says Snyman. “Considering current inflation levels in Namibia, the company is still of the opinion that this is a very good offer,” Walvis Bay Salt Holdings’ press release reads. “According to a recent PWC benchmarking exercise for the mining sector in Namibia, the followGem Squash Loose
ing figures prevail, as an example: For grade A2 the company on average pays a total cost to company package of N$178 000, versus an industry average of N$96 000, 85% more than the market. All employees at the company are having the benefits of a medical aid, of which the company pays 65% of the cost. Also pension and housing allowance,” it further states. However, no mention was made regarding the alleged “illegal” conditions. Snyman says, the company remains committed to engaging all its employees in order to find an amicable solution to the benefit of all parties.
[Walvis Bay Salt Holdings (Pty) Ltd, through its various subsidiaries, is the largest producer of solar sea salt in subSaharan Africa. The Group exports to various countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa and Europe. In addition to producing salt for the chemical industry and other general purposes, the Group also produces high quality table salt for the Southern African market. Besides South Africa, triple refined sea salt is exported to neighbouring countries, including Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana and Zambia, mainly for human consumption.]
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