There's a Strike A Brewing!

[Paul Alexander]

How quickly people forget...

The Namibian economy is a capitalist one, not socialist or communist. Like the commercial market, the skills market is also driven by supply and demand and for certain positions in this country (engineers, accountants, auditors etc.) the aces are clearly held by the owners of those skills and not by the corporates, for those positions then, corporate will pay a premium. For other positions (both unskilled and skilled) there is a surplus of eligible candidates and for those individuals the aces are clearly held by the corporates, if you don't like the salary then by all means go work somewhere else because there are a 100 other people equally as skilled waiting in the sidelines to take up that job.

Against this backdrop, Namdeb still pays a very competitive salary to the surplus category employees (significantly above the market median in fact) and while even the loyalist of corporate junkies would have to acknowledge that the company hasn't always been the smartest in the manner it both allocates and describes the allowances and perks it gives to employees, those really are irrelevant factors when considering a wage increase. Other than the fact that an annual increase is largely a 'requirement' as a result of historical precedence, is it by no means an obligation that a company absolutely has to legally fulfill. In fact, the only reason a capitalist company would need to allocate an increase is primarily to remain competitive in the market when it comes to retaining skills and secondly (and less visibly) as a social contribution when wishing to be perceived as a company that is fair and just.

In Namdeb's case, I believe this company excels on both fronts The salaries paid to skilled and high demand employees are now competitive and the offer made to those positions that are in abundance in the market exceeds the median market expectation (and the CPI). Everything this company has done in the past few years has been geared toward sustainability in the long term for both the shareholders (who of course want a return on their investments) and the employees that benefit from employment. A company, forced to feed the greed of short term gain over long term prosperity for all is, unfortunately doomed.

During my fathers service, I made a statement about how, for my dad, being a member of the union executive was never about 'wining' or 'beating' the corporate, it was always about being fair and just and ensuring that corporates never exploit the individual ("a people united shall never be defeated" after all) and also ensuring that people received that which was due to them. I think he would be sad today (and indeed during his last years he did express some disappointment) in how the union today, barring some long serving stalwarts is largely about politics and personal ego's and winning at all costs regardless of the long term consequences...

I hope that common sense prevails and soon...

[Michael Alexander]

The Strike has been Resolved..... meeting went on from 8 this morning till after 17h00 this afternoon....... Awaiting official details ........

[SandyB]

Paul ..  well put ,, the  relationship between union should be  mutualy beneficial , in respect of  sustainability  without  exploitation ... pity is most unions are now politically affiliated ...  pity our Govt ... cos their once  very cosy  bed partners  are now  squeezing their balls .. in some cases justified vis  Govt  profligacy ...   in other its all power play ..  I say they should kick them out of the once convenient marital bed ...