Namport puts focus on permanent workforce amid casual workers labour complaint

Workers employed casually by Namport deployed in repacking fish at the Port of Walvis Bay, has lodged a labour complaint following Namports decision to discontinue the service, leaving casual workers unemployed. Namport has decided, regardless to the complaint, to put in all efforts to preserve the jobs of current permanent employees.

Most of the casual workers have been deployed in repacking fish at the Port of Walvis Bay, which was over the years handled by Namport on behalf of the owners of the fish. This service has since been deemed as not cost effect therefore, with effect from 1 February 2017, Namport discontinued the repacking of fish and as a result no longer requires the services of the casual workers who were previously deployed to the operation on a “as and when needed basis”.
“The casual workers have subsequently been notified that Namport would not be calling on their services going forward. Unfortunately, the workers insist on their services being retained by Namport, despite the absence of work to which they can be deployed. It must be reiterated that the said casual workers were never at any point under formal employment contracts with Namport but were used on an ad hoc basis dependent upon fish volumes which required repacking,” Namport CEO, Bisey Uirab, is quoted in his statement.
In the meantime, the casual workers have lodged a complaint against Namport with the Labour Commissioner’s Office. Namport confirmed on Friday that they would rather put all efforts into the preservation of their current 964 permanent workforce.