Africa-Press – Namibia. FORTY fishermen at Walvis Bay were left stranded yesterday as they waited at the offices of the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation for a meeting with their previous employer, who did not show up.
The fishermen previously worked for the Pesmar Uno vessel and Omupes companies under the Lochmar group of companies. They said they were set to have a conciliatory meeting with the company to resolve a dispute regarding unpaid overtime labour in 2021.
Immanuel Festus, the regional coordinator of the Mining, Metal, Maritime and Construction (MMMC) workers’ union, who is representing the workers, yesterday said their employment contract, which was from February 2021, came to an end in September last year.
He said the fishermen were not compensated for the overtime hours they worked on trips of the company’s hake vessel. They asked for money after their contract expired, which the company refused to pay, Festus said.
The union engaged the company on 25 October, and later approached the labour minister after a deadlock was reached, he said. “We referred the matter to the labour commissioner on 3 December and received a notification in February for a conciliation meeting on 1 March. Unfortunately, the employer did not show up.
“We followed up and were informed by a certain Helen from the Lochmar group that Pesmar Uno and Ompes no longer exist. Their consultant was also not aware of the case,” Festus said.
The company allegedly owes the fishermen about N$55 000 per worker. The workers say they embarked on four trips in 2021 of about 55 days per trip, with four-day breaks in between.
The union wants to know why the company “disappeared” without compensating them. Festus said the fishermen were employed as a result of a joint venture between fishing quota holders and foreign companies. He said Namibian quota holders are exploiting fellow Namibians for cheap labour.
“After they get their money they part ways with those companies and make joint ventures with other companies, and it continues. We are calling on the fisheries and labour ministries to monitor this issue,” he said.
He said some companies own vessels, but have not received quotas, although they are capable of employing people. Francois Curtz, a consultant for the Lochmar group of companies, yesterday said the fishermen’s working conditions were explained in a meeting in February last year, adding they may have misunderstood some points.
“I am, however, aware that the fishermen were told before employment they would receive a salary as well as fish commission that was supposed to [be] substituted overtime. They agreed to it,” he said.
Curtz said he was not aware of yesterday’s meeting. He said he was willing to meet with the union and employees to discuss the issue while waiting for the next meeting with the ministry of labour.
The Spanish vessel on which the fishermen were employed returned to Spain last year, as the company does not have a quota to catch fish any longer, he said.
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