Calls for improved salaries and working conditions intensified this week as employees of the Northern Electricity Distributor (Nored) staged peaceful demonstrations in Ondangwa and Katima Mulilo. Workers are demanding a 6% wage increase, citing years of stagnant salaries and unfulfilled promises from management.
According to employees, the action comes after Nored’s acting chief executive officer publicly assured staff of a salary adjustment, a commitment they say has not been honoured. The Mine Workers Union of Namibia (MUN), representing the workers, emphasized that Nored wages remain below market standards for the energy and utilities sector.
Reading the petition in Ondangwa, MUN regional organiser Regnald Kock said many employees have not seen any pay rise in the last seven years. Management has proposed a 3% increment, but workers insist this is insufficient. Beyond salary issues, the petition also highlights urgent demands for strengthened occupational health and safety protocols, including improved equipment and regular training.
Nored’s acting CEO, Lukas Siremo, received the petition at Ondangwa and indicated the matter would be reviewed and feedback provided.
Meanwhile, in Katima Mulilo, senior electrician Francis Silumbu criticized management’s reluctance to engage in regular discussions with employees, noting that MUN’s request for bi-monthly meetings has been ignored. He warned that continued inaction could compel workers to explore all legal avenues to protect their rights.
