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Air Namibia Workers Plan Union Demonstration

Air Namibia Workers Plan Union Demonstration

From New Era

About 140 Air Namibia cabin crew are set to hold a peaceful demonstration at the office of the labour commissioner today, Namibian Cabin Crew Union (NCCU) president Reginald Kock announced yesterday.

Kock said the union would express its dissatisfaction with the manner the labour commissioner was handling their grievances.

“The labour commissioner has declared war against us but we are ready for that,” said the unionist.

However, Labour Commissioner Bro-Mathew Shinguadja urged the union to refrain from the demonstration.

“I will not be available to accept your petition,” said Shinguadja in a letter delivered to the union.

According to Kock, the main bone of contention is the grading of cabin crew salaries, which was re-graded when Air Namibia moved from the Peromnes Job Grading System to the Patterson Job Grading System in 2009/10.

Kock said the regraded salaries are “way below” other cabin crew salaries in the region.

“Air Namibia did not compare our cabin crew salaries with those of similar positions in the industry. Instead they compared it to the salaries of clerks,” explained Kock.

The NCCU president emphasized that cabin crew have a tremendous “safety aspect” to their jobs and hence the airline should “compare apples with apples.”

Read more at New Era