• By Adolf Kaure

 President of the Namibia Seaman and Allied Workers’ Union (NASAWU), Paulus Hango has called on the government to address alleged loopholes with the Government Employment Redressing Programme (GERP) for the fishing industry – failure of which may result in a strike by the disgruntled fishermen. Launched by a Cabinet directive in 2020, the GERP aims to re-employ fishermen and fisheries workers who lost their jobs due to the “Fishrot” scandal and others who lost their jobs as a result of mass dismissal due to illegal strikes in 2015. 

Despite its seemingly noble approach the programme has been marred by claims of poor implementation, with claims that many supposed beneficiaries are still facing unemployment or earning below-subsistence wages, on the one hand, and claims that these beneficiaries are being used by companies as springboards to fishing quotas, on the other. Speaking during an exclusive interview, Hango reiterated that GERP has led to discrimination in salary allocations as a result of some fishing companies’ desperation to acquire fishing quotas from government. 

“There is discrimination at the fishing companies. Some employers are paying the re-employed workers and some are not.” “Some companies are desperate to get fishing quotas from the government and because of that they are taking back the fishermen and paying them more than the ones that have been at the companies longer.” “The government needs to address this issue. It is going to backfire. We can see more strikes happening in the next few weeks as a result,” Hango said. 

BENEFITS DISCREPANCY

Employees of Merlus Fishing Group in Walvis Bay expressed their dismay at working conditions at the company. The disgruntled workers are said to be employed by Abrama Fishing, Seagull Fishing and Cormorant Fishing, all of which forms part of the Merlus Fishing Group. The employees’ representative, Levi Bron told Confidente that the intervention is necessary as they are unhappy about with the company’s salary policy. “Although the workers are employed by different companies, all these companies are operating at the same premises, using the same vessels, processes, packaging and storage of the fish products. 

Workers are also working in the same factory, on the same line or with the same fish product within the three companies. However, the three companies pay us very different salaries,” Bron said. According to Bron, some workers of Abrama receive the wages amouting to N$26.50 per hour, while some at Seagull Fishing are paid N$23.40 per hour.

 Furthermore, some workers of Cormorant Fishing are paid N$18.00 per hour compared to another group of employees at Cormorant Fishing, who receive N$31.00 per hour. He also stated that there are discrepancies with regard to housing allowances at the Group. Said Bron: “Workers at Cormorant Fishing receive housing allowance of N$580. 

Abrama Fishing workers are paid N$660.00, while Seagull Fishing workers are paid N$450.00. Some workers don’t have any benefit at all.” “This situation has made many workers unhappy at all because they work the same hours. The product and the salary gap is huge. We demand the company to ratify this matter without any delay,” he added. IMelrus Fishing Group workers also demanded the provision of transport money to for their convenience as they walk to work in cold early morning hours leading to health and safety concerns. 

Other demands include freezer suits to effectively work in the cold factory and a fair recruitment policy to eliminate nepotism. “We request the company to act as soon as possible without any delay. The workers will take appropriate action if there is no solution to our problem,” he said. This week, the workers handed over a petition to the Merlus Fishing Group Human Resources Manager of, Rosina Muatunga. In turn, Muatunga promised that the company’s management will look into the concerns of the workers and address them. “I want to assure you that as a company, management take your concerns very seriously. 

I acknowledged receiving your petition and will make sure it will be handed over to the managing director and the rest of the management of the company,” she said. There are currently over 500 employees who work at the Merlus Fishing Group