Workers’ rights always prioritised, Geingob says
Namibian employees’ welfare ‘sacrosanct’
With the threat of a public servant strike averted, the president said it is now time to "steer our country to calmer waters".
President Hage Geingob says government has always enjoyed a harmonious relationship with Namibian labour movements, and prioritises workers’ rights.
He made the comments following the opening of the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) national congress, currently underway in Swakopmund.
In a statement delivered on his behalf by presidential affairs minister Christine Hoebes, Geingob said the welfare of workers as well as their rights remain important.
“Since independence, government has always prioritised the interests and safety of Namibian workers. As people who fought for the freedom, liberty and justice of all Namibians, we believe that the welfare of Namibian workers is sacrosanct,” he said.
According to the head of state, legislation had been enacted to establish a comprehensive labour law which governs all activities and the relationship between employers and employees.
“This includes the entrenchment of fundamental labour rights and protections, the regulation of basic terms and conditions of employment, the assurance of health and safety, the protection of employees from unfair labour practices and the registration of employer and employee organisations.”
Revolutionary partners
Geingob also used the opportunity to highlight the potential damaging effects a strike proposed by civil servants earlier this year would have had on the economy, and thanked Napwu and the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) for their role in diffusing the situation.
The two unions were able to agree to a 3% salary hike for all civil servants across the board, avoiding a potentially crippling strike 42 000 workers voted in favour of in August.
“Government and the unions, Napwu and Nantu, are not only social partners, but revolutionary partners who always worked together in a spirit of harmony, in the interest of nationhood,” he said.
“The consequences of a strike by public servants in the midst of tough economic conditions could have taken this country to the brink of economic disaster, however, the strike was averted and now we can resume working in unison, towards steering our country to calmer waters.”
He made the comments following the opening of the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) national congress, currently underway in Swakopmund.
In a statement delivered on his behalf by presidential affairs minister Christine Hoebes, Geingob said the welfare of workers as well as their rights remain important.
“Since independence, government has always prioritised the interests and safety of Namibian workers. As people who fought for the freedom, liberty and justice of all Namibians, we believe that the welfare of Namibian workers is sacrosanct,” he said.
According to the head of state, legislation had been enacted to establish a comprehensive labour law which governs all activities and the relationship between employers and employees.
“This includes the entrenchment of fundamental labour rights and protections, the regulation of basic terms and conditions of employment, the assurance of health and safety, the protection of employees from unfair labour practices and the registration of employer and employee organisations.”
Revolutionary partners
Geingob also used the opportunity to highlight the potential damaging effects a strike proposed by civil servants earlier this year would have had on the economy, and thanked Napwu and the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) for their role in diffusing the situation.
The two unions were able to agree to a 3% salary hike for all civil servants across the board, avoiding a potentially crippling strike 42 000 workers voted in favour of in August.
“Government and the unions, Napwu and Nantu, are not only social partners, but revolutionary partners who always worked together in a spirit of harmony, in the interest of nationhood,” he said.
“The consequences of a strike by public servants in the midst of tough economic conditions could have taken this country to the brink of economic disaster, however, the strike was averted and now we can resume working in unison, towards steering our country to calmer waters.”
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