WALVIS BAY - The Trade Union Congress of Namibia (Tucna) wants provisions for housing, severance payments, and the working hours of security guards to be changed.

The union and its affiliates were scrutinising the Labour Act of 2007, which is expected to be amended next year and opined that the current Labour Act has too many loopholes and does not speak entirely to the workers’ rights. Tucna president, Paulus Hango, said they want the age of employment to be changed from 14 to 16 years, as no child should be allowed to work at all. They also want ordinary working hours of security guards to be changed from the current 12 hours to nine. 

“Compassionate leave days should also be increased from five to 12. While family responsibility or parental leave of 10 days per year, should be introduced. Five more annual leave days should be added to the current leave days and employees should not be forced to take leave when their companies close.  In fact, such days should be shared between employers and workers,” he said. According to Hango, accrued leave days should also be paid out and compassionate leave days should be increased to at least 10, a year and maternity leave to six months on full basic salary.

Hango added that subsection 28, providing for housing allowance, should also be made applicable to all employees and not only those that are required to live at their employer’s premises as the Act now provides. “Transport allowance should also be added as a basic condition of employment,” he suggested, and pointed out that section 48 of the Act dealing with victimisation should be strengthened in terms of workers that return after being unfairly dismissed from work. According to Hango, these are just some of the issues they want to be addressed and amended so that the Labour Act can become a more progressive working tool for both employees, employers and government.  He added that the current Labour Act does not really act in the best interest of workers.