More than half of all the employees of retail giant Shoprite at the village of Tsandi have joined their counterparts across Namibia today in a strike demanding for better conditions of employment.
The national strike organized by Nafau will seek to put pressure on the management of the multinational retailer to come to a negotiation table with union officials to hammer out employment conditions that are in the best interests of the workers.
Speaking to Omutumwa, Kaleb who is the leader of the striking Shoprite workers at Tsandi said that the strike will continue until a favourable agreement has been reached by their national union leaders and Shoprite management.
“So far the strike is peaceful, and the police is also around here,” Kaleb said. “What we want is to be given salary increases, house allowance, transport allowance and that if an employee has worked for 12 months he or she must be made permanent.”
Kaleb said some employees have been working for the company for as long as six years without them becoming permanent employees.
Although the striking workers have been chanting slogans and singing songs across the road opposite Shoprite, several workers have opted to go to work and keep the shop open for the festive season customers.
Meanwhile at the sister town of Ruacana none of the Shoprite employees have gone on strike.
In Omusati Region the Shoprite retailer has shops in towns and villages such as Outapi, Okahao, Tsandi, Oshikuku, and Okalongo.
In the photo: Some of the Tsandi Shoprite workers on strike.
