The Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) has said it stands by its decision to not negotiate a salary increase for striking employees for the 2020/21 financial year. Some NFCPT employees went on strike on 12 February 2021, after salary negotiations, which started in 2020 between the company and the Namibian Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU), reached a deadlock. Employees are demanding salary adjustments of up to N$1 000, an increase of 25% on their housing allowance from the current 20%, as well as for the company to cover 70% on their medical aid. For 2021/22, employees are demanding a 10% salary increase for those paid at grade A level, 8% for grade B, and 6% for grade C employees. NFCPT spokesperson De Wet Siluka told NAMPA on Tuesday that, the company recorded a deficit during the 2019/20 financial year and as such it would be reckless for them to consider increasing employees’ salaries for the 2020/21 financial year. Siluka said, however: “We are open to negotiation through NAFAU to offer salary and benefit adjustments for the next financial year (2021/22) as preliminary performance results for 2020/21 looks promising. The negotiations are only open if the employees are willing to forego their demands for back pay for the 2020/21 financial year.” Increments for employees are based on the company’s performance for the previous financial year. The last time employees got an increment was during the 2018/19 financial year. At the time the company did not perform well, but did not record a deficit as it did in 2019, he said. NAFAU secretary-general Jacob Penda during a press conference on Tuesday said, the company currently pays some of its company employees, including cleaners and fish processors N$16,95 per hour, while the highest-paid employees get N$27,50 per hour. He said the lowest standard salary in a fishing company is N$20 per hour. With NFCPT being a government entity, it could perhaps get subsidised to enable it to afford market-related salaries, Penda said. In response, Siluka said they do not want to run an institution based on government subsidies and bailouts, and as such, will not commit to reckless spending in hopes that government would bail them out. -NAMPA