Strike, it is!

Thousands of civil servants - mostly teachers - have voted to strike over salary increases, voting results show, putting them on course for what could be the biggest industrial action the country has seen since independence.

A total of 42 216 civil servants voted in favour of a strike during the two-day voting process, while 1 232 voted against it, according to an announcement by the national returning officer Tomas Niilonga yesterday.

Essential workers such as police, military and nurses were not allowed to take part in the process.

The election, conducted by the Namibia Teachers Union (Nantu) and the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) on 28 and 29 July saw the majority of teachers voting in favour of the strike.

Escalating inflation, joblessness and a teetering economy has strangled civil servants who are now seemingly fed up after being patient for over seven years.

This is the latest high-stakes dispute to emerge at a time when unions, emboldened by government’s failure to increase civil servants’ salaries for almost a decade, are pressing their advantage to force the state to bow to the demands of public workers.

With government hiding behind its empty coffers, it will need a better excuse to convince civil servants - who are feeling the economic pinch - not to picket.

High alert

The planned strike has placed government on high alert as it continues to manoeuvre in the background to avert a strike.

In a communication believed to be from secretary to Cabinet George Simataa, executive directors within government were tasked to ensure that the strike will not affect service delivery in the public sector.

“We expect all staff members below management to participate in the strike considering that this a bread-and-butter issue. Our job is to ensure that service delivery is not compromised during this time period. Therefore, all executive directors (EDs) are requested to identify other key essential services in their respective offices, ministries and agencies, apart from the essential services indicated in the Labour Act,” he wrote.

A government spokesperson yesterday refused to confirm whether the statement indeed came from Simataa’s office.

“It is our principled position that any correspondence shared confidentially between the state officials must remain confidential. In the event that such correspondence is dishonestly or impermissibly obtained, neither the secretary of Cabinet nor his office has an obligation to respond publicly to its content.”

Efforts to get hold of Simataa proved futile.

Govt shutdown

On the political front, the Swapo-led government is at pains to avoid a total government shutdown.

While sympathising with civil servants, the party’s secretary for labour Loide Kasingo said there is no money to grant civil servants a pay hike.

“We didn’t meet to discuss the position; I cannot say what position we have. We are experiencing a crisis. There is no money.

“Government does not have money. Government is not intentionally refusing,” she said.