NWR workers get salary increase
Transport allowance upped
Employees' hard work and understanding as they navigated these troubled times is something NWR is proud of, Ashipala said.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) and the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) signed a wage negotiation agreement last Friday.
NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala said while the tourism industry is still feeling the effects of the pandemic, employees who carried the company through the Covid-19 storm need some form of financial relief.
“We should remember that our staff members were forced to take salary cuts during the pandemic.”
On top of this, benefits such as overtime and travelling allowance were put on hold, he added.
“We had to bring in strong control measures such as staff rotation, which put immense strain and fatigue on our employees.”
Meanwhile, staff members who were promoted were not paid as per their new salary grades, he said, adding that voluntary separation packages did not make the situation any better.
Cost of living
Ashipala said the cost of living has gone up two-fold since NWR’s last salary increment in 2019.
According to him, the current annual inflation rate stands at 7.1%, while the annual inflation for goods is estimated at 9.7%.
“As it stands, the 12-month average yearly inflation rate from November 2021 to October 2022 was estimated at 5.6%. Not only has life become costly, but it has also created a financial strain on our staff.”
Employees’ hard work and understanding as they navigated these troubled times is something NWR is proud of, Ashipala said, adding that the negotiations for the 2022/2023 financial year were finalised on 21 November.
Increase
Basic salaries for employees in the bargaining unit, Patterson job grade A, will increase by 13%, while grade B will enjoy a 7% increase and grades C and D will increase by 4.6% and 2.5% respectively.
It was also agreed that transport allowance for the qualifying job grades in the bargaining unit who work in municipal areas - and are not provided with official transport - will increase by N$222 to N$650 per month.
Parties further agreed that the housing allowance for grade A will increase from N$1 295 to N$1 330 per month, Grade B (1 to 3) from N$1 295 to N$1 330, Grade B (4 to 5) to N$ 1 850 and Grade C from N$1 808 to N$1 850.
NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala said while the tourism industry is still feeling the effects of the pandemic, employees who carried the company through the Covid-19 storm need some form of financial relief.
“We should remember that our staff members were forced to take salary cuts during the pandemic.”
On top of this, benefits such as overtime and travelling allowance were put on hold, he added.
“We had to bring in strong control measures such as staff rotation, which put immense strain and fatigue on our employees.”
Meanwhile, staff members who were promoted were not paid as per their new salary grades, he said, adding that voluntary separation packages did not make the situation any better.
Cost of living
Ashipala said the cost of living has gone up two-fold since NWR’s last salary increment in 2019.
According to him, the current annual inflation rate stands at 7.1%, while the annual inflation for goods is estimated at 9.7%.
“As it stands, the 12-month average yearly inflation rate from November 2021 to October 2022 was estimated at 5.6%. Not only has life become costly, but it has also created a financial strain on our staff.”
Employees’ hard work and understanding as they navigated these troubled times is something NWR is proud of, Ashipala said, adding that the negotiations for the 2022/2023 financial year were finalised on 21 November.
Increase
Basic salaries for employees in the bargaining unit, Patterson job grade A, will increase by 13%, while grade B will enjoy a 7% increase and grades C and D will increase by 4.6% and 2.5% respectively.
It was also agreed that transport allowance for the qualifying job grades in the bargaining unit who work in municipal areas - and are not provided with official transport - will increase by N$222 to N$650 per month.
Parties further agreed that the housing allowance for grade A will increase from N$1 295 to N$1 330 per month, Grade B (1 to 3) from N$1 295 to N$1 330, Grade B (4 to 5) to N$ 1 850 and Grade C from N$1 808 to N$1 850.
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