National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Chief Executive Officer Gisbertus Mukulu has called on striking employees to return to work as he said salary increments are not possible due to the current challenging economic climate.

NHE employees have been on a strike since 24 February, demanding a seven per cent salary increase.

Mukulu in a media statement on Tuesday said should the strike continue in its current form, it will worsen the company’s financial position.

“NHE values all its employees and if conditions were normal we would have done everything in our power to find a middle-ground regarding the monetary demands. We must bear in mind that given the current challenging economic climate, a salary increase of seven per cent is just not financially possible. It is important to note that nothing positive can come from this strike as there are no winners,” the statement said.

Mukulu further expressed gratitude to all employees who have not engaged in the strike for continuing to keep the company afloat, noting that all NHE staff members are still gainfully employed with full benefits despite the trying conditions prevalent in Namibia.

In response to Mukulu’s call, Public Service Union of Namibia Secretary General Matheus Haakuria has suggested that NHE engage the striking employees.

“If there is a strike at the company, the company should learn that they must not make press statements, they must instead call the union so that we can sit down at the table and understand each other,” he said.

NHE offices are still open, all housing projects are fully operational, there are minimal disruptions and the NHE management said they remain committed and open to finding solutions for the company’s challenges, he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency