The Namibia Statistics Agency today the 12th
of May signed a recognition agreement with the Namibia Public Workers Union.
NAPWU.
The agreement which makes NAPWU the sole
bargaining agent for the staff of the agency was welcomed with applause by
the institutions employees as this is
the first time that they are joining a
union.
In his address to the employees at the
signing ceremony, the NSA’s
Statistician General Mr. Alex Shimuafeni highlighted the importance of
the milestone that the institution has reached.
“We live in an era where rights of individuals should be respected. Employees
need to have a sense of job security and want to be sure that management will
not make unfair and arbitrary decisions about their employment. In the same vainemployees
like to work in
a healthy and safe environment” he said.
The organisation sees this as
opportunity to highlight the demands of its staff as even the though there are
statutory provisions catering for this, NSA employees will still feel more
secured knowing that trade union is directly involved in all matters concerning
them.
On his part, the union’s
representative Mr. Gabes Andumba, the Deputy Secretary General of NAPWU said
the agreement comes at a time when the labor industry needs to be regulated.
“NAPWU is totally committed to the improvement of the benefit and the condition
of service for our members through collective bargaining” he said.