Another Fishrot vessel ditches crew
Another vessel owned by Iceland seafood company Samherji - the Geysir - left Namibia on Sunday night, leaving more than 100 crew members stranded.
Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) branch organiser Joseph Makanga said a meeting will be held today at 10:00 at the Saga Seafood office at Walvis Bay.
The vessel gave no prior communication to its crew members. Samherji is embroiled in the unfolding Fishrot scandal in which over N$150 million in bribes were paid to Namibian politicians and officials who facilitated access to Namibian fishing quotas.
Geysir foreman Mathew Shafooli told the media that 32 crew members left with the Geysir and that these employees were told to keep the vessel's departure a secret from the rest of the crew.
“We were just told to get our stuff from the boat and that was is it. We don't know if we will get compensated for the work done. We have families to feed.”
This is the second vessel owned by Samherji to leave under mysterious circumstances. Saga, owned by Saga Seafood, a subsidiary of Samherji, left last Wednesday night, leaving another 120 crew members stranded.
Makanga said the meeting was initially scheduled for yesterday morning, but when they arrived at the office, management was not available.
The meeting will deal with the wages owed to employees.
“Your benefits were violated by this company. Early in January we had people coming to our offices early in the mornings complaining about their wages, leave days and rotation shifts. Maybe tomorrow we will hear that they will pay you out, but how can they do that if they have not verified with you the date on which each employee started working?” Makanga said while addressing crew members in front of the Nafau office yesterday.
“We will not tolerate these people doing whatever they want at the expense of our people.”
Makanga and his team used the rest of the day to verify the date of employment of each employee.
Another Nafau branch organiser Johannes Shayuka also expressed his dismay, saying they will not tolerate this type of behaviour.
“We have our Namibian people as managers at this company, why don't they want to communicate with their own people? Are they hiding something or what? Why are they afraid to tell their employees what is going to happen? We want to blame the foreigners, but it is our Namibian brothers and sisters withholding information.”
Leandrea Louw
Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) branch organiser Joseph Makanga said a meeting will be held today at 10:00 at the Saga Seafood office at Walvis Bay.
The vessel gave no prior communication to its crew members. Samherji is embroiled in the unfolding Fishrot scandal in which over N$150 million in bribes were paid to Namibian politicians and officials who facilitated access to Namibian fishing quotas.
Geysir foreman Mathew Shafooli told the media that 32 crew members left with the Geysir and that these employees were told to keep the vessel's departure a secret from the rest of the crew.
“We were just told to get our stuff from the boat and that was is it. We don't know if we will get compensated for the work done. We have families to feed.”
This is the second vessel owned by Samherji to leave under mysterious circumstances. Saga, owned by Saga Seafood, a subsidiary of Samherji, left last Wednesday night, leaving another 120 crew members stranded.
Makanga said the meeting was initially scheduled for yesterday morning, but when they arrived at the office, management was not available.
The meeting will deal with the wages owed to employees.
“Your benefits were violated by this company. Early in January we had people coming to our offices early in the mornings complaining about their wages, leave days and rotation shifts. Maybe tomorrow we will hear that they will pay you out, but how can they do that if they have not verified with you the date on which each employee started working?” Makanga said while addressing crew members in front of the Nafau office yesterday.
“We will not tolerate these people doing whatever they want at the expense of our people.”
Makanga and his team used the rest of the day to verify the date of employment of each employee.
Another Nafau branch organiser Johannes Shayuka also expressed his dismay, saying they will not tolerate this type of behaviour.
“We have our Namibian people as managers at this company, why don't they want to communicate with their own people? Are they hiding something or what? Why are they afraid to tell their employees what is going to happen? We want to blame the foreigners, but it is our Namibian brothers and sisters withholding information.”
Leandrea Louw
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