Africa-Press – Namibia. NATIONAL Union of Namibian Workers vice president Phillip Munenguni says the trend of employers forcing employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19 is gaining momentum. He claims some companies are not assigning certain duties to unvaccinated staff.
Welwitschia Catering and Cleaning Services (WCCS), a subcontractor of Rössing Uranium mine, allegedly gave its 106 unvaccinated employees till next Wednesday to be vaccinated or face dismissal.
Employees say they were initially told to get vaccinated before 30 September or resign. “On 22 September, the manager called us to attend an urgent meeting, where he threatened us not to use company vehicles or enter working sites if we are not vaccinated.
“He later informed us that once vaccinated, employees should submit their proof of vaccination to enter a competition draw to win prizes,” an employee claims.
According to this employee, Reinho Awala, the said manager, informed them that the retrenchment of unvaccinated workers would commence on 20 October. The Namibian has seen this communication.
“The company will retreanch [sic] … unvaccinated employees on 20 October. There will be no extension of days. Thank you,” it reads.
Glen Schruder, the company’s branch manager for Namibia, was not available for comment. Martin Mbambo, WCCS’ human resources manager, could neither confirm, nor deny the possibility of retrenchments.
“At this point in time we are not prepared to give any comment. To either confirm or deny. We will only be in a better position later this week after we have spoken to the different stakeholders,” he said.
Mbambo said the different stakeholders include workers’ unions and the government. Meanwhile, Munenguni says the situation would see many cases before the Labour Court.
“When you are saying if you are not vaccinated you should resign, that is dismissal. This will end at the Labour Court, and many employers will pay a lot of money,” he says.
He says it makes no sense for employers to protect their workplaces when workers are in contact with unvaccinated members of the public outside of work.
“What makes you immune when you go to public places and not when you are at work?” he asks. He, however, urges union members to get vaccinated voluntarily.
The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) last week said the transport sector is attempting to implement mandatory vaccinations, with truck drivers targeted.
“They are trying to get rid of people, now they are using mandatory vaccination to do so,” NUNW general secretary Job Muniaro said. He believes it is illegal for employers to force employees to get vaccinated.
“Where in the labour law does it permit them to do so? We will go to court if they do that. It is not right. Why must they force people? Let them decide by themselves,” he said. Namibia does not have enforced laws on occupational health and safety (OHS).
Earlier this year the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation through the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI) considered the International Labour Organisation’s conventions and protocols in relation to Namibia. Michael Aakupa, the director of LaRRI, says the task involved research and the drafting of a bill.
“Namibia only has a draft policy on OHS that has not been approved by the Cabinet. So I think that the ministry of labour, with the ILO, wants to complete that process so that there is an analysis to justify the drafting of the bill and the adoption of the policy.
“We are including any kind of pandemic in the consideration of the bill for the future,” he says.
Minister of education, arts and culture Anna Nghipondoka last week in the National Assembly said vaccines mitigate the teaching sector’s risk of Covid-19 infection.
“I therefore appeal to all educators, all unified staff members, as well as all eligible pupils to be vaccinated,” she said.
The minister was responding to a question from Popular Democratic Movement parliamentarian Johannes Martin, who asked when the ministry would consider negotiating a danger allowance for teachers and school staff.
The Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) yesterday again said they are not aware of mandatory vaccination imposed on their members. TUN secretary general Mahongora Kavihuha said they are firmly against the idea and would oppose it.
This comes at a time when the chief of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) imposed mandatory vaccination on all NDF members. This decision was defended by minister of defence and veterans affairs Frans Kapofi, who said the soldiers should adhere to their commander’s order.
NDF soldiers are now threatening to take the government and the defence ministry to court, and have started an online petition to be presented to president Hage Geingob next week. The government last week maintained that vaccination against Covid-19 is voluntary.
