Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Ondangwa-based Northcote Private School says it only tolerates unions that are engaged in lawful activities.
The school says it fully appreciates that every employee has the right to be a member of a trade union.
In a letter to parents and guardians on Monday, the school’s manager, Shirley Geza Lwande, said the school hopes the trade unions which the school’s staff members have joined have their best interests at heart.
She said Northcote is a credible organisation which holds the rule of law in high regard.
“We have engaged the Department of Labour to also address this matter through the right channels. What we remain sure and certain of is that our institution will continue to excel and attract the right talent to propel our pupils towards a brighter future,” she wrote.
She said the school is curently undergoing a robust and thorough recruitment drive to ensure it is adequately resourced to cater to the needs of pupils before it reopens.
The Namibian last Friday reported that 22 teachers at Northcote Private School accused the owner of the school of victimising them after joining the Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN).
The teachers claim they have not received their June 2022 salaries because of this.
Their salaries were due on 27 June.
An Ondangwa-based medical doctor, Jerry Lwande, owns the school.
The school’s teachers said they took their grievances to the Office of the Labour Commissioner at Ondangwa yesterday.
They say Lwande has threatened to punish them.
“When the official from the labour ministry called Jerry, he threatened he would terminate our employment contracts when the school opens next week,” one of the teachers said.
However, Lwande, in a letter which was reported on in The Namibian, said this is “far from the truth”.
The school on Thursday suspended its principal, Robin Masuku.
Masuku confirmed this.
“I received the letter at 08h58 via WhatsApp. The school board does not know about it, and no hearing has taken place. This is an infringement to me,” he said.
He said the teachers who are not members of the TUN have received their salaries.
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