The president of the Trade Union Congress of Namibia (TUCNA), Paulus Hango, has been re-elected for the fifth time at Walvis Bay.

At his re-election, Hango said trade unions and workers in Namibia face many challenges and difficulties.
 
He says trade union leaders need to firmly commit themselves as a united front and help to ensure that workers earn decent wages and stop exploitation of the employees.
 
Hango stated that employers make massive profits at the expense of the workers.
 
A lack of minimum wage in some sectors is another.

"The minimum wage commission has already given the report to the Minister of Labour, and the Commission has recommended that at least N$18 per hour is an appropriate minimum wage for Namibian workers; however, the Minister of Labour, with full power invested in him by the Labour Act to implement the minimum wage, has chosen to remain silent and not implement the minimum wage. For trade unions, silence means refusal, and refusal means, the rejection of workers and support for capitalists who chose to exploit the workers."

He said there is a need for a national campaign to ensure that the minimum wage is fully implemented. 

"There will be no more excuses. Just imagine some security guards earning N$8 per hour for the past seven years and working continuously without any rest, and all twelve hours that they work continuously are calculated as normal hours. This is not acceptable. We must come up with a resolution and strategy to free trade unions and workers from exploitation. Trade unions are subject to a variety of restrictions that hinder their activities and effectiveness."

Hango stressed that in the same way a conducive environment for investors is created, the same must be done for employees' working environments and better wages.

Union leaders are encouraged to unite all workers in all sectors and bring on board young people to be active in matters concerning trade unions and labour.