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Namibian teachers set to stage nationwide strike

Xinhua, October 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

Teachers in Namibia resolved Friday to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from Oct. 13 after giving the government a week's notice.

The teachers voted on whether to strike or not early this month after the government refused to accept their demand for an 8 percent salary increase.

The government offered just 5 percent, saying there is no money.

About 20,000 out of 27 000 teachers voted for the strike and on Tuesday this week, the Namibia National Teachers' Union gave an ultimatum to the government to make a final decision before the strike date is announced.

In an effort to break the impasse, the labor commissioner's office was roped in for meetings held in Windhoek from Wednesday to Friday.

Now that the impasse was not broken, the union's secretary general Basilius Haingura said they will embark with the strike on Oct. 13.

Addressing a media briefing, Haingura also said that those teachers who do not wish to participate in the strike are free to report for duty.

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and President Hage Geingob have spoken against the union's decision to go on strike.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said if the teachers resort to strike action, the government will apply the "no work, no pay" policy, while Geingob has said those pushing for a strike want to make the country ungovernable. Endit