Maria David
THE Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN), through its Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter Branch Executive Committee (STSMUN BEC), has issued an urgent objection to the ongoing restructuring and looming retrenchments at the Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter.
The union said that these actions threaten the livelihoods, dignity, and constitutional rights of hundreds of Namibian workers.
The MUN believes that the “Voluntary Separation” (VS) scheme being pursued by Sinomine Resources Group is not only procedurally flawed but also fundamentally inconsistent with the Government of Namibia’s commitment to job creation, decent work, and the protection of Namibian workers.
In a statement issued by MUN General Secretary Fillippus George, it was indicated that the union views these developments as a deliberate attempt to undermine the role of the trade union, promote precarious work, and perpetuate outsourcing practices that have already harmed job security in other parts of the mining sector.
According to George, the MUN unequivocally rejects the informal and irregular engagement processes currently being pursued by Sinomine’s Human Resources division under the leadership of Acting Director Chreechen Muukua.
“These engagements exclude meaningful negotiations and disregard provisions in their Recognition Procedural Agreement (RPA), violating both the spirit and letter of the agreement between the company and the union,” he said.
He added that their attempts to seek structured, good-faith negotiations have been met with unilateral processes that treat the union as a spectator rather than a recognized collective bargaining agent.
“These meetings are disrespectful, exclusionary, and render the union powerless in decisions that directly affect its members’ futures,” he added.
Further, he said this is becoming a growing trend in Namibia’s mining sector, citing similar strategies adopted by companies like Rössing Uranium and B2Gold, which have allegedly retrenched permanent employees only to replace them with contractors.
George indicated that they fear Sinomine is following this path, eroding hard-fought job security protections in favour of cheaper, disposable labour.
He stressed that if allowed to continue, this trend could decimate long-term employment prospects, harm employment protections, impoverish communities, and undermine economic stability.
They then demand immediate formal negotiations between the company leadership and union leadership under the provisions of the RPA, not through HR-led sessions with no binding authority.
“Extension of the Voluntary Separation window to a minimum of two (2) years, in line with commitments made by Sinomine during its acquisition of the smelter from Dundee Precious Metals,” he added.
Some other demands George mentioned include full transparency on the future organizational structure, staffing model, and skills requirements for new plant operations.
“The union rejects any plan to marginalize Namibian workers in favour of foreign nationals under vague or unjustified criteria,” he said.
He stressed that any departure must be truly voluntary, fairly compensated, and free of coercion or any form of intimidation, and that those who remain must be guaranteed respect and job security.
Moreover, he added that they have also requested an urgent audience with the Minister of Mines, Industrial and Energy, Natangue Ithete, to deliberate on this significant matter and work towards an equitable resolution.
The union proposes a meeting no later than 13 June 2025.
