Employees of Bidvest Prestige Cleaning Services on Friday held a peaceful demonstration led by the Namibia Security Guard and Watchmen’s Union of Namibia (NASGWU).
Reading the petition on behalf of the aggrieved workers, shopsteward Saima Amaambo said the workers are demanding a salary increase of N.dollars 5 000 from N.dollars 1 800 per month effective end of March, as some of them have worked for the company for more than five to 10 years with the same salary.
Amaambo said the salary is not enough to buy daily needs such as food as it is very expensive and they are unable to send their children to schools as their salaries are very low compared to their current living situation.
“Some employees are renting shacks without any sanitation and electricity at a monthly fee of N.dollars 1 300 and paying for a taxi which is already N.dollars 800 per month. That makes our lives more difficult especially in the city as life is expensive and fast. Everything costs money,” Amaambo said.
The employees further demanded a monthly transport allowance of N.dollars 750, medical checkups at least once a month as well as overtime as per Labour Act 2007 while calling on management to stop intimidating and victimising them for joining the unions amongst others.
Receiving the petition, the company’s General Manager De Wet Jacobs said as a company and individuals they will sit, go through the petition and see what they can do.
“We accept your petition and we will revert back to you at the end of March or the beginning of April,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters’ economic commissar Michael Amushelelo, who also attended the demonstration, urged Jacobs to reprimand managers accused of intimidating workers to not take part in the peaceful demonstration.
“I would unfortunately never tolerate workers being treated badly in this country. Please make sure that you have a meeting with your supervisors and teach them how to work with people” he said.
Jacobs in response said that is not the way any cleaner, staff or any member should be treated, saying he would take appropriate action.