The fishermen union representing workers from more than 13 fishing companies petition the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform over outstanding employment grievances, including unpaid overtime, night-shift allowances and severance pay.
The workers, some of whom lost their jobs following industrial action in 2015, say the Government Employment Redress Programme, introduced in 2020 to restore employment through fishing quotas, has not resolved all their historical grievances and outstanding entitlements.
"The government stated that this was a permanent solution, which is why we remained with the companies. However, we only discovered later that the programme was scheduled to end on 31 October. This information came as a surprise to us, as we were uncertain about our future. We had also just received letters informing us that an ex gratia payment would be made to the 96 individuals who opted for voluntary exit from the programme."
The Secretary General of the Mining, Metal, Maritime and Construction Workers Union, Joseph Garoeb, is demanding six years' outstanding severance pay and says workers should not be forced to return to companies while negotiations are ongoing.
"There is an argument to be made here. Give us N$250,000, and we can all go by the 1st of November, provided the package is acceptable. What we are proposing is that, until this matter has been finalised, we put the programme on hold, even if only for a week. During that time, we can engage in discussions, negotiate and agree on the package. If the package is acceptable to everyone, then we can all proceed as planned."
Following discussions, the ministry and the union agreed to maintain a standoff while negotiations continue.
The Ministry was given five working days to consult and return with directives by the following Friday.
The Deputy Executive Director in the ministry, Ueritjiua Kauaria, clarified that 1st November does not automatically mean the workers will become unemployed, assuring them that there is still room for negotiations.
Kauaria also said the ministry would review the petition and provide feedback as soon as possible.