Nearly 200 workers of the Cheetah Cement at Otjiwarongo, affiliated to the Mine Workers Union of Namibia, embarked on a strike at the cement factory situated about six kilometres north of the town, on Thursday.

Leading the strike, MUN’s regional organiser for the northern regions, Brian Tjihero, in an interview told Nampa that the strike will continue indefinitely until their demands are met.

He said Cheetah Cement trading as Whale Rock Cement has failed to negotiate in good faith as workers only want a reasonable salary increase and the introduction of housing, medical aid and pension benefits.

“For now workers here earn about N.dollars 3 600 with no medical aid, no pension and no salary increase for about four years,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cheetah Cement General Manager (GM), Kevin Lee in a media statement on Thursday said there is a deadlock between the management and workers, noting that the company has done everything in its power to conclude the protracted wage negotiations but to no success, since the workers have unrealistic demands.

“The company thus regrets the decision made by workers to strike as from 21 July 2022,” he said.

In May this year, Kevin said the company had proposed an increase of N.dollars 800 to employees earning less than N.dollars 6000 and N.dollars 500 for those earning above N.dollars 6000, which were refused by the employees.

Management, he added further proposed the introduction of a pension and medical aid benefit, with an 80 per cent company contribution and 20 per cent by employees, starting January 2023, which they too, refused.

The GM warned that workers on strike should expect no pay for the duration of their strike, saying that the company also intends to have the workforce reduced due to the economic hardships it has been facing since 2017.

A meeting between workers and the company is therefore planned for 03 and 04 August this year to discuss the way forward on the reduction of the workforce, he said.

Cheetah Cement employs 210 Namibians and 44 Chinese nationals.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency