President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged trade unions to not only advocate for fair wages and improved working conditions but also prioritise workers' continuous learning, reskilling, and upskilling.
Nandi-Ndaitwah made these remarks at the Workers Day celebration at Opuwo.
The Secretary General of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Job Muniaro, has called for greater honesty in addressing challenges affecting workers and employers, pointing to discipline and skills development as major concerns.
Southern Namibia Hake fishing company temporary workers at Lüderitz, who were laid off two years ago, are demanding reinstatement.
The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation, Utoni Nujoma, says there is much that can be done to strengthen the relationship between the government and the trade unions.
The Minister of Higher Education has invited trade unions to nominate four members to the Namibia Training Authority Board.
This follows a call by unions and employer associations last week that the current board be dissolved, as it is allegedly not properly constituted in accordance with the law.
More than 500 cleaners at the City of Windhoek have vowed to continue demonstrating until their demands are met.
The workers claimed to have lost trust in their trade unions, saying they are tired of the back and forth with the management after numerous failed engagements.
Trade unions should reposition themselves to become relevant beyond the workplace.
This is one of the recommendations contained in a report on the impact of COVID-19 on workers and trade unions.
Namibia, like most developing countries, was unprepared when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
