The voting process on whether or not to take industrial action by government employees commenced at the Rundu Urban Constituency office at 08h00.

This comes after government and bargaining unions reached a deadlock in salary negotiations and a certificate of an unresolved dispute was issued.

The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture on Wednesday announced the closure of all government schools on 28 and 29 July to allow teachers and staff to take part in the balloting process for a proposed strike for salary increases.

When this news agency arrived at the Rundu Urban Constituency office around 10h00, more than 50 people were already lining up.

A teacher from Elia Neromba Secondary School in Rundu, Haimbili Tobias, told Nampa he was in favour of the strike.

‘The living standard has become expensive and I cannot afford basic needs. It is for this reason that I’m for the strike. For me not to be paid for days I’ll be on strike, if that is the outcome, it will make no difference to what I currently earn,’ he said.

Another teacher from Dr Romanus Kampungu Secondary School, Fillemon Sitayile, echoed the same sentiments, stating that he has not been able to manage with the frequent increase in fuel and basic commodities prices.

Chairperson of the Namibia National Teachers Union (Nantu) in the Kavango East Region, Lukas Mbangu said the region has seven fixed polling stations and five mobile polling stations.

All civil servants are eligible to vote except the police, employees from the Namibian Defence Force, as well as the Namibia Correctional Services.

Eligible voters should carry their identity card or passport, payslips or a valid driver’s licence.

Mbangu encouraged civil servants to vote before stating that it has been seven years since teachers got a salary increase.

He said they have already sensitised their members that the no work, no pay method could apply if the voting is in favour of a strike.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency