Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
July 2026
Informanté
Paulus Hangosaidaround 600 Gendev workers remain on strike over wage increment negotiations
Source
“The President of the Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers' Union (Nasawu), Paulus Hango, has said that around 600 workers employed by the Gendev Fishing Group remain on strike as negotiations are still under way regarding wage increments.”
Paulus HangosaidGendev's 120% increment offer does not reflect the facts
Source
“Hango, however, said that the 120% increment offer does not reflect the facts, stating that the union had asked for an 8% increment in workers' salaries, but that the company had only offered to increase salaries by 1%, promising a wage increment from N$29.60 cents to N$30.00 per hour.”
Paulus Hangodid not respond tonumerous calls for comment
Source
“The Windhoek Observer could not obtain comment from NASAWU at the time of publication, as numerous calls to its president Paulus Hango went unanswered.”
Paulus Hangowarned thatcontinued exclusion would leave the union with no alternative but to organise a strike
Source
“While stressing that social dialogue remains the preferred route, Hango warned that continued exclusion would leave the union with no alternative but to take the necessary steps and organise a strike and disrupt the industry.”
Tucna president Paulus Hangotold a press briefing thatGendev Fishing workers face poor conditions, delayed salaries, and unclear agreements
Source
“Tucna president Paulus Hango told a press briefing yesterday that Gendev Fishing and other companies' workers face poor conditions, delayed salaries and unclear agreements, despite repeated attempts to resolve these issues with management and government.”
Unionist Paulus Hangoraised concern and confirmed that some fishing companies areusing employees to mount pressure for more quotas
Source
“Unionist Paulus Hango also raised concern on the issue on Tuesday, confirming that some fishing companies are indeed using their employees to mount pressure on the government for more quotas.”
Around 600 workers employed by Gendev Fishing Group remain on strike as negotiations continue over wage increments. The Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers' Union president says the company's claimed 120% wage offer is misleading, as it includes housing and transport allowances rather than raising the basic hourly wage from N$29.60 to N$30.00 — a 1% increase when the union had requested 8%.
Around 600 workers employed by Gendev Fishing Group remain on strike as negotiations continue over wage increments. The Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers' Union president says the company's claimed 120% wage offer is misleading, as it includes housing and transport allowances rather than raising the basic hourly wage from N$29.60 to N$30.00 — a 1% increase when the union had requested 8%.
The Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union has rejected Gendev Fishing Group's proposal to raise the basic monthly salary from N$3,850.95 to N$6,800 for 195 hours per month, arguing it does not constitute a genuine increment but rather payment for standard working hours. The company issued a 24-hour ultimatum and framed the move as a 120% increase, while the union maintains that paying workers for hours actually worked is not a pay rise.
Namibian fishing unions are pressuring wet-landed horse mackerel sector companies to ensure job security beyond a temporary 12-month employment period created after Cabinet relaxed the 200-metre isobath rule. Union officials argue that the approximately 700 jobs are temporary, lack benefits, and operate under a 'no-work, no-pay' arrangement, calling instead for meaningful, long-term employment solutions in the fishing industry.
Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi ordered an investigation into alleged tribal bias in recruitment at the Roads Authority, finding it employs about 74 people from the Zambezi region compared to more than 300 from northern Namibia. The probe has revived broader allegations of tribalism in hiring practices across Namibian state-owned enterprises and government offices.
About 90 permanent employees of Gendev Fishing Group were sent home last week, with no clarity on their status. The move follows the company's earlier notification of a contemplated retrenchment of 489 workers, attributed to sustained financial losses, reduced revenue, and an inadequate quota allocation of 3,351 metric tonnes against the company's 45,000-tonne annual capacity.
Tucna president Paulus Hango warned of a nationwide fishing industry strike if workers' concerns are not addressed, citing over 600 job losses last year, 490 jobs at risk, unpaid workers since October, and systematic exclusion of unions from employment agreements signed by government and companies. Workers also raised concerns including lack of protective equipment, quota allocation issues, and inadequate consultation before layoffs.
The Trade Union Congress of Namibia warns it may pursue legal action against fishing companies including Gendev Fishing over workers' complaints of poor conditions, delayed salaries, and unsafe working environments. Workers across multiple fishing firms report delayed pay, inconsistent hours, lack of benefits, and inadequate protective equipment despite repeated attempts to resolve disputes with management.
Industry players and unionists allege that fishing companies are threatening mass layoffs to pressure the government for increased quotas, with Gendev announcing the retrenchment of over 400 workers. The labour minister has placed Gendev's retrenchments on hold pending stakeholder consultation and rejected proposals to allocate quotas directly to employees.
Horse mackerel processing company Gendev Fishing Group has notified the labour ministry of a contemplated retrenchment of 489 employees, citing sustained financial losses and reduced revenue. If implemented, the layoffs would bring total job losses in the wet-landed pelagic fishing sector to 1,100 since December, though the company says no final decision has been made pending mandatory consultation.
The Namibian Seamen and Allied Workers' Union has rejected Gendev Fishing's planned retrenchment of 489 employees, arguing the company breached labour law and failed to properly consult workers before issuing retrenchment notices. The company cited sustained financial losses, reduced revenue, and operational challenges as reasons for the contemplated retrenchments.