By Confidente Reporter
THE Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation (MLIREC) has refuted claims that it is prolonging gazetting of the collective agreement in the construction industry.
Last year the Metal and Allied Namibian Workers’ Union (MANWU) accused the Ministry of refusing to gazette the collective agreement.
According to a press release released by the Ministry recently, “MANWU’s misleading information is not only regrettable for undermining the capability of this ministry but highly insensitive as it might have a negative productivity implications within the construction sector.”
Contrary to MANWU’s claim, the new minimum wage for construction workers in Namibia was gazetted on December 31 last year, this according to a government gazette that was attached to the press release.
Published in the Government Gazette No. 5917 of December 31 2015 by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, the new minimum wage is N$14,59 per hour, which is 10 percent more than the first minimum wage of N$ 13,26 introduced in 2013.
Workerscanexpecta10percent increase this year, according to the agreement signed between the MANWU, Construction Industries’ Federation (CIF) of Namibia and the Office of the Labour Commissioner. The collective agreement was signed in June last year according to which construction workers can expect about N$2 200 at month end.