No pay hike for public servants
Salary dispute unresolved
Nantu and Napwu will ask their members to vote on the next step after nothing came of their demands for salary increases.
The Namibia National Teachers' Union (Nantu) and the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) on Tuesday said they have received a certificate of unresolved dispute after their members demanded a 5% increase in salaries for the 2022/2023 financial year.
According to Napwu secretary-general Petrus Nevonga, Namibian civil servants have not received an increase for the last five financial years .
"Our members will recall that both unions consulted them extensively from the 10th-20th of May 2022 to give feedback on the progress made.
"This conciliation resumed on the 23rd of May and the parties have reached a deadlock, thus a certificate of unresolved dispute was issued to us by the conciliator," he said at a press conference.
Demands
Public workers demanded a salary increase of 5%, a 9% increase in their housing allowance, a 10% rise in transport and vehicle allowances, and N$7 per kilometre travelled.
The government maintained its position of a 0% increase in salaries but agreed to a 14.5 % increase in housing allowances for staff below management positions and 12% for employees in managerial positions.
'Immoral and insensitive'
The unions called this stance "immoral" and "insensitive".
"The head of state is speaking from the position of an employer when he says that the state coffers are empty, but we as the employees can still exercise our right to demand an increase in salaries.
"It doesn't mean when an employer speaks we need to take it as it is," Nevonga said.
Next step
Nevonga said the unions would allow their members to vote on how to respond.
"This process will start as soon as possible. Members of these unions countrywide will give their input and we will take it further."
He could not say how long the ballot process would take, but said the public and the union members would be informed as soon as it was concluded.
The unions have been vocal about their concerns and their members' demands since the mid-year budget was tabled late last year.
According to Napwu secretary-general Petrus Nevonga, Namibian civil servants have not received an increase for the last five financial years .
"Our members will recall that both unions consulted them extensively from the 10th-20th of May 2022 to give feedback on the progress made.
"This conciliation resumed on the 23rd of May and the parties have reached a deadlock, thus a certificate of unresolved dispute was issued to us by the conciliator," he said at a press conference.
Demands
Public workers demanded a salary increase of 5%, a 9% increase in their housing allowance, a 10% rise in transport and vehicle allowances, and N$7 per kilometre travelled.
The government maintained its position of a 0% increase in salaries but agreed to a 14.5 % increase in housing allowances for staff below management positions and 12% for employees in managerial positions.
'Immoral and insensitive'
The unions called this stance "immoral" and "insensitive".
"The head of state is speaking from the position of an employer when he says that the state coffers are empty, but we as the employees can still exercise our right to demand an increase in salaries.
"It doesn't mean when an employer speaks we need to take it as it is," Nevonga said.
Next step
Nevonga said the unions would allow their members to vote on how to respond.
"This process will start as soon as possible. Members of these unions countrywide will give their input and we will take it further."
He could not say how long the ballot process would take, but said the public and the union members would be informed as soon as it was concluded.
The unions have been vocal about their concerns and their members' demands since the mid-year budget was tabled late last year.
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