Napwu rejects parliamentary public hearing on NBC
The Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) yesterday rejected to be questioned in the presence of the media by members of the parliamentary standing committee on human resources about the "devastating" impact the 2021 countrywide strike had on NBC employees.
Napwu secretary-general Petrus Nevonga told parliamentarians they have no mandate over the union and thus have no right to summon it to a public hearing where it is paraded in front of journalists.
In April 2021, NBC employees went on a nationwide strike to demand improved working conditions.
Three months after the strike ended in a stalemate, the disappointed workers folded and returned to work without their conditions being met. Many left the Swapo-affiliated trade union, accusing it of negotiating in bad faith and failing to represent their interests.
The workers demanded an 8% salary increment, but the corporation repeatedly said it faced serious financial challenges that year due to a budget allocation of N$127.5 million, which represents a 62% reduction compared to the previous financial year’s allocation of N$334.1 million.
Not like this
During a public hearing with the parliamentary standing committee yesterday, Nevonga also took issue with the absence of other parties involved in the matter, saying they cannot be consulted when these parties are not present.
“You cannot call journalists and say you are consulting us – you cannot consult us in this manner. You can consult us off-camera. There are also other parties that are not here. I submit that you respect our modus operandi if this is how you want to consult us,” he said.
“We are pleased to report to parliament our position, but our mandate is clear. We are independent; parliament does not have a mandate over us.”
No secret
Committee member Tjekero Tweya pointed out that parliament is a public institution and all its hearings should be made public. And while some matters may be exempted from this rule because of sensitivity, the NBC matter is no secret and does not qualify for exemption.
He also told Nevonga that the NBC motion comes from parliament and is known by all and sundry, adding that the only time they held consultations off-camera regarding this matter was when they consulted the workers to protect them from possible victimisation.
“In this case, parliament and the entire country is aware that Napwu represented the workers during that time and when Napwu - during recent countrywide hearings - said they will not participate, we respected that.
“But in this case, it would be irresponsible of parliament not to have a meeting with Napwu. But it is up to you, and it will be recorded as such when we report back to parliament. This is about engaging all stakeholders and not about jurisdiction,” Tweya said.
He added that the union should take note that in the event an inquiry is undertaken into the matter, parliament would be within its rights to subpoena stakeholders - but this is not the case now.
“If you, as a union, do not want to share your experience or that of those workers who were previously your members, it is your right. But as parliament, we have given you the opportunity to also talk to parliament. Once again, it is your right not to be part of this exercise, but it will not stop parliament to stop this motion, which it will now have to compile comprehensively and table in parliament truthfully and factually. It is up to you to not give your view about the devastation of the aftereffects of the matter of the NBC.”
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Napwu secretary-general Petrus Nevonga told parliamentarians they have no mandate over the union and thus have no right to summon it to a public hearing where it is paraded in front of journalists.
In April 2021, NBC employees went on a nationwide strike to demand improved working conditions.
Three months after the strike ended in a stalemate, the disappointed workers folded and returned to work without their conditions being met. Many left the Swapo-affiliated trade union, accusing it of negotiating in bad faith and failing to represent their interests.
The workers demanded an 8% salary increment, but the corporation repeatedly said it faced serious financial challenges that year due to a budget allocation of N$127.5 million, which represents a 62% reduction compared to the previous financial year’s allocation of N$334.1 million.
Not like this
During a public hearing with the parliamentary standing committee yesterday, Nevonga also took issue with the absence of other parties involved in the matter, saying they cannot be consulted when these parties are not present.
“You cannot call journalists and say you are consulting us – you cannot consult us in this manner. You can consult us off-camera. There are also other parties that are not here. I submit that you respect our modus operandi if this is how you want to consult us,” he said.
“We are pleased to report to parliament our position, but our mandate is clear. We are independent; parliament does not have a mandate over us.”
No secret
Committee member Tjekero Tweya pointed out that parliament is a public institution and all its hearings should be made public. And while some matters may be exempted from this rule because of sensitivity, the NBC matter is no secret and does not qualify for exemption.
He also told Nevonga that the NBC motion comes from parliament and is known by all and sundry, adding that the only time they held consultations off-camera regarding this matter was when they consulted the workers to protect them from possible victimisation.
“In this case, parliament and the entire country is aware that Napwu represented the workers during that time and when Napwu - during recent countrywide hearings - said they will not participate, we respected that.
“But in this case, it would be irresponsible of parliament not to have a meeting with Napwu. But it is up to you, and it will be recorded as such when we report back to parliament. This is about engaging all stakeholders and not about jurisdiction,” Tweya said.
He added that the union should take note that in the event an inquiry is undertaken into the matter, parliament would be within its rights to subpoena stakeholders - but this is not the case now.
“If you, as a union, do not want to share your experience or that of those workers who were previously your members, it is your right. But as parliament, we have given you the opportunity to also talk to parliament. Once again, it is your right not to be part of this exercise, but it will not stop parliament to stop this motion, which it will now have to compile comprehensively and table in parliament truthfully and factually. It is up to you to not give your view about the devastation of the aftereffects of the matter of the NBC.”
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