Staff Reporter
NAMIB Mills workers embarked on industrial action on Monday following the company’s decision to impose a lockout, a move that came in response to workers exercising their constitutional right to strike.
Today marks day two of the lockout, which follows six months of failed wage negotiations between the employer and workers. Despite numerous engagements, the company has failed to address the central demand of salary alignment.
PICTURED: Some scenes from the ongoing strike action. Photos: Namibian Revolutionary Transport and Manufacturing Union
The workers stated that they continue to raise serious concerns about unfair wage disparities, where employees within the same job grades earn significantly different salaries without justification. They stated that of particular concern is the practice where newly employed workers earn more than long-serving employees performing the same work. They stressed that this violates the principle of equal pay for equal work and undermines workplace fairness and morale.
The strike action represents a last resort after all reasonable efforts to resolve the matter through negotiations were exhausted. The union which represents the workers, the Namibia Revolutionary Transport Union (NARETU), maintains that workers are demanding nothing more than fairness, transparency, and dignity in the workplace.
“The union remains committed to a resolution through meaningful engagement and calls on Namib Mills to return to the negotiating table in good faith,” NARETU said.
Namib Mills is Namibia’s largest grain-processing company, employing over 2 000 workers and supplying essential staples such as Top Score, Pasta Polana, and Meme Mahangu across Namibia and internationally.
