Rehoboth Town Council dragged to labour commissioner’s office by employees

REHOBOTH, 13 JUN  – Rehoboth Town Council (RTC) employees on Tuesday dragged their employer to the Rehoboth Labour Commissioner’s office over unfulfilled promises of backpay dating back to July last year.
Early in March this year the workers downed tools twice and demonstrated against the RTC for what they termed “unjust treatment and empty promises” by their employer.
They were specifically unhappy about alleged unjust treatment by then Human Resources Manager, Willie Swartz, who was also the acting chief executive officer.
The workers handed over a petition saying there has been no salary increment for the last eight months as agreed upon with the Namibia Public Workers’ Union (Napwu) and promised to them last July.
An employee of RTC who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were told that they would receive the backdated salaries with their February salaries, but to date nothing has happened.
Upon enquiry Napwu’s branch organiser Lesley Mosegedi told Nampa on Tuesday they had no choice but to take the matter to the labour commissioner’s office.
“The RTC management did not keep their end of the bargain and we had no choice but to ask the labour experts to intervene,” Mosegedi said.
Mosegedi said they want the town council to pay the backdated increment as from July last year.
Ahe said the case has been postponed to 19 June.
Approached for comment, Chief Executive Officer of RTC, Christoph |Uirab confirmed that the case is with the labour commissioner’s office.
“I can confirm that it is true, but at this stage we treat it as an internal process. I can unfortunately not divulge much about the case,” |Uirab said, however adding that they are negotiating with the labour commissioner’s office.

NAMPA