More than 600 workers from Gendev Group Fishing have been camping outside the company's premises for approximately 20 days due to an unresolved wage dispute.

The workers, represented by the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union (NASAWU) president Paulus Hango, say the dispute centres on workers' basic salaries and a proposal by the company to only pay 70% of the agreed salary when operations are reduced.

Hango says that the parties had reached a preliminary agreement on a basic salary of approximately N$6,060 per month, calculated based on 195 working hours.

However, the proposed reduction to 70% of this salary would lower the amount to around N$4,200.

"Who determines whether the company is fully operational? How will workers' hours be calculated? How will the basic salary be calculated? How will annual leave, sick leave, maturity leave and other statutory entitlements be calculated? What will be the implications for Social Security claims and workers' compensation? How will pension fund contributions be calculated? How will lawful deductions from workers' remuneration be dealt with? What safeguards will prevent management from interpreting the arrangement differently at different times? How will the arrangement comply with the applicable provisions of the Labour Act 11 of 2007?"

He is calling on Gendev Fishing to return to negotiations with a clear and legally compliant proposal.

"We call upon Gendev Fishing Limited to return to the negotiating table with a clear, consistent and legally compliant proposal. We further call upon the relevant government authorities and other stakeholders to take note of the concerns raised by the workers and the union and to ensure that the dispute is understood from all sides."