NIP employees demonstrate over pay

WINDHOEK, 23 Apr– Employees of the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) threatened to take their management to the Labour Court, should it not meet their demands.
The aggrieved workers on Monday handed over a petition directed to NIP Board Chairperson, Dr Diina Shuuluka, in which they call on the institution to honour the collective agreement signed on 09 November 2017.
According to the petition read by NIP shopsteward chairperson Ndinaky Nakwatumba, it was agreed that they will receive an increment of 10 per cent across the board for two financial years (2018/19, 2019/2020), which was to be implemented on 01 April 2018 and 01 April 2019.
Other areas of increment, according to the petition, are transport allowances to be upped with N.dollars 200 each year, the current 30 per cent housing allowance to be increased with 3 per cent from 30 per cent for the 2018/19 financial year and to 35 per cent for 2019/20.
Management, however, informed the employees on 18 April that it will not implement the 10 per cent salary increment as per the collective agreement, only the other benefits. The employees were instead promised a 5,6 per cent salary increment.
“We demand our 10 per cent increment as from the 25th of April 2018, or we will have no other option but to approach the Office of the Labour Commissioner for arbitration,” the petition reads.
The employees requested management to stop creating unnecessary managerial positions as well as to limit managerial trips.
Receiving the petition, NIP Manager for Human Capital, Training and Development, Jason Kafidi assured the petitioners that management will respond as soon as possible.
(NAMPA)