UPDATE: The President of the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers’ Union (Nasawu), Paulus Hango, has said that around 600 workers employed by the Gendev Fishing Group remain on strike as negotiations are still under way regarding wage increments. Gendev, in an internal memo to employees on 22 July, made an offer to increase the guaranteed monthly salary from N$2 960 for 98 hours to N$6 700 for 195 hours, with a 24-hour deadline to accept the offer or remain on the current salaries. However, none of the workers have accepted the offer. Hango, however, said that the 120% increment offer does not reflect the facts, stating that the union had asked for an 8% increment in workers’ salaries, but that the company had only offered to increase salaries by 1%, promising a wage increment from N$29.60 cents to N$30.00 per hour. Hango said it is therefore incorrect to say that Gendev had offered a 120% increase, adding that this 120% increment includes workers’ housing and transport allowances and does not only include the basic salary, which the union is currently contesting. Efforts to get hold of representatives of Gendev Fishing at the time of publication were unsuccessful. Photos: Nasawu
