National Union of Namibian Workers — major labour union organization involved in dispute over Labour Advisory Council reconstitution and wage negotiations, headquartered in Katutura.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
August 2026
Windhoek Observer
National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW)challengedLabour Minister's decision to seek fresh nominations for the Labour Advisory Council
Source
“Four major social-partner organisations, the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Trade Union Congress of Namibia (TUCNA), Namibian Employers' Federation (NEF) and Namibian Employers Association (NEA), have challenged Labour and Justice Minister Wise Fillemon Immanuel's decision to seek fresh nominations for the council.”
National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW)jointly objected toImmanuel's request for six names from which he would select representatives to the council
Source
“The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Trade Union Congress of Namibia (TUCNA), Namibian Employers' Federation (NEF) and Namibian Employers Association (NEA) on Monday jointly objected to Immanuel's request for six names from which he would select representatives to the council.”
National Union of Namibian Workers secretary general Job Muniarosaidsplitting salaries would not solve financial challenges workers face
Source
“National Union of Namibian Workers secretary general Job Muniaro, however, yesterday said splitting salaries would not solve the financial challenges workers face.”
National Union of Namibian Workersfacilitatedmediation that resolved the dispute
Source
“The union said the matter had since been resolved through mediation facilitated by the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), adding that the dispute was settled amicably in the spirit of constructive labour relations.”
the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW)played a role inboth the liberation struggle and workplace battles
Source
“The book focuses on the experiences of workers under colonial rule, the rise of trade unions and the role of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) in both the liberation struggle and workplace battles.”
National Union of Namibian Workerswas officially launched in1970
Source
“The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), which had officially been launched in 1970, remained dormant, existing mostly in official pronunciations of the exiled Swapo leadership.”
National Union of Namibian Workershas setWorkers Day theme on in-service training for productivity and living conditions
Source
“This year, the National Union of Namibian Workers theme is: 'Namibian workers demand in-service training for increased productivity, national economic growth and better living conditions.'”
National Union of Namibian Workersinvitedthe President to mark International Workers' Day
Source
“Speaking at the event held at Newman Katuta Stadium, the President thanked the National Union of Namibian Workers for the invitation to mark International Workers' Day in the Kunene Region.”
Labour unions and employer organisations have accused justice and labour relations minister Wise Immanuel of attempting to unilaterally select representatives for the Labour Advisory Council. The groups say they have already submitted their preferred nominees according to established practice, but Immanuel has asked organisations entitled to three representatives to submit six names for him to choose from, and those entitled to one to submit two.
Labour unions and employer organisations have accused justice and labour relations minister Wise Immanuel of attempting to unilaterally select representatives for the Labour Advisory Council. The groups say they have already submitted their preferred nominees according to established practice, but Immanuel has asked organisations entitled to three representatives to submit six names for him to choose from, and those entitled to one to submit two.
Labour Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel has blocked the reappointment of Labour Advisory Council members who served for up to 12 years, citing the need to inject fresh blood and promote fairness, diversity, and broader representation. The council, which advises the minister on labour matters, had some organizations resubmit only their preferred representatives rather than providing candidate lists as requested.
Namibia's Labour Advisory Council is in dispute over reconstitution: four major social-partner organisations challenge Labour and Justice Minister Wise Fillemon Immanuel's decision to seek fresh nominations, maintaining they have already submitted mandated representatives, while the minister asserts his formal statutory responsibility to appoint council members after rejecting reappointment of representatives who had served approximately nine to 12 years.
Four major social-partner organisations have objected to Labour and Justice Minister Wise Fillemon Immanuel's request for fresh nominations to the Labour Advisory Council, arguing that representatives of organised labour and business should be selected by the constituencies they represent, not by government appointment.
Labour unions have rejected a proposal by a City of Windhoek councillor to split workers' monthly salaries into two payments each month. The National Union of Namibian Workers said the idea would not solve workers' financial challenges and would instead make it harder for low-income earners to meet their fixed monthly obligations.
The Namibia Football Association has formally proposed amendments to the Sports Act and the establishment of a dedicated national sports levy of N$5 from employees and employers monthly, arguing that current legislation no longer adequately supports the governance and sustainability of sport in Namibia and that the levy would provide sustainable funding to reduce reliance on government grants.
The Namibia Transport and Allied Union apologised to Paragon Investment Holdings for a statement made two weeks earlier that was factually incorrect and misleading, claiming the company violated labour laws. Paragon owner Desmond Amunyela accepted the apology, noting the company has operated for 20 years without such accusations, and expressed openness to a constructive relationship with the union.
The Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (NATAU) has withdrawn its earlier allegations against Paragon Investment Holdings and issued an apology, acknowledging that its claims were factually incorrect and misleading. The union said the dispute was resolved through mediation facilitated by the National Union of Namibian Workers.
Veteran trade unionist Herbert Jauch has launched a book documenting the history, triumphs, and modern challenges of Namibia's workers' movement, covering experiences under colonial rule, the rise of trade unions, and the role of the National Union of Namibian Workers in both the liberation struggle and workplace battles. Jauch says the book fills a gap in historical memory, as experiences of Namibian trade unionists have rarely been documented, depriving future generations of learning from past perspectives on the current labour movement situation.
Namibia's Mineworkers' Union of Namibia channels members' dues through Namibia Miners Investment Trust (Namit) and Nam-Mic Holdings, which have grown into a N$900-million portfolio with stakes in banks, mines, hotels and other sectors. Members and their representatives say they have seen little benefit from their decades of contributions and allege lack of transparency and financial irregularities.
The Employment Equity Commission has not published its annual reports since 2019, violating legal requirements. The Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations attributes this to budget constraints, staffing shortages, and software failures, but unions say the failure reflects incompetence and undermines monitoring of employment discrimination.
A parliamentary standing committee on economics has heard that low salaries, predatory microlenders, and gaps in the law are driving public servants into crippling debt cycles, with some earning as low as N$3,000 a month while facing exorbitant interest rates. The committee is investigating whether existing laws adequately protect Namibians against lending institutions and reviewing the deduction payroll system that allows loan repayments to be taken directly from civil servants' salaries.
High school student expulsions in August 1971 sparked mobilisation against Namibia's contract labour system under the slogan 'Break the wire'. In December 1971, 16,000 contract workers across Namibia went on strike to protest the system, beginning with 3,200 workers at Walvis Bay fish canning factories.
The Government Institutions Pension Fund paid its board of trustees chairperson Penda Ithindi N$114,000 for attending three meetings in two months, and Napwu general secretary Petrus Nevonga N$92,163 during the same period, according to payroll records reviewed by The Namibian. The payments have revived concerns that clustered board and sub-committee meetings have become a parallel income stream for trustees already drawing civil service or union salaries.
An opinion piece argues that Namibia's Workers Day celebrations focus on formal sectors while overlooking the protection and dignity of domestic workers, farmworkers, and gardeners—the "workers of the workers"—who labour in private homes and farms beyond formal labour protections and public accountability.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah addressed the 2026 Workers' Day commemoration in Opuwo, calling for continuous skills development and a knowledge-based workforce to boost productivity and economic growth. She emphasised that Workers' Day reaffirms workers' rights and dignity, linked to Namibia's liberation struggle and the working class's historical role in nation-building.
This year's International Workers' Day commemoration in Opuwo will be jointly organised by government, employers, and trade unions, following a recent meeting between President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the National Union of Namibian Workers. The tripartite approach reflects a Cabinet decision to involve all key labour market stakeholders in the event.
Labour expert Herbert Jauch says workers have nothing to celebrate on May Day, citing that the N$18 per hour minimum wage introduced two years ago amounts to only N$3,400 monthly, with South Africa's minimum wage at N$30 per hour for comparison. Domestic, agricultural, and security workers received phased increases starting January 2024, set to reach N$18 per hour by 2027, despite opposition from the Namibian Employers' Federation.
The City of Windhoek disconnected electricity at the National Union of Namibian Workers' headquarters in Katutura after months of non-payment of an alleged N$120,000 electricity account. NUNW secretary general Job Muniaro confirmed the December disconnection, attributed the delay in reconnection to underground water pipe repairs, and said the union has since settled the electricity bill but also owes N$40,000 in water charges.