Last 290 “fired” fisherman finally re-employed
The last 290 fishermen out of approximately 1 000 who lost their jobs in the fishing industry since an illegal strike in 2015 are employed now, thanks to a joint effort by the private sector, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and the Ministry of Labour.
The fishermen were appointed by Hangana Seafood Processors as permanent workers with the same benefit as existing employees.
Hangana currently employs 1 451 people, and this figure will rise to 1 741, according to the company’s Managing Director, Mr Herman Theron. Theron added continued investment in infrastructure will ensure more employment opportunities in the foreseeable future and the target is to 2 000 people by 2025.
The company is investing N$360 million in a new fish processing plant in Walvis Bay and a further investment of N$100 million in the company’s abalone production facility at Lüderitz.
The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Re-sources Derek Klazen welcomed the employment of the fishermen by Hangana Seafood Processors. The company has been awarded an additional fish quota to facilitate the employment process.
The labour minister, Uutoni Nujoma, expressed satisfaction with the basic conditions of employment of the fishermen affected.
The Minister used the opportunity to urge the fishermen not to engage in labour action that falls beyond the ambit of labour legislation. Their dismissal several years ago was as a result of an illegal strike.
The President of the Namibian Fishing Indus-tries and Fishermen Workers Union, Daniel Imbili, expressed relief that the saga is finally over, and that normality can now return to the affected fishermen and their families.
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