Union rejects Gendev’s increased salary offer

Renthia Kaimbi

The Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union (NASAWU) has rejected Gendev Fishing Group’s latest salary offer, dismissing it as no genuine increment after the company issued a 24-hour ultimatum to workers to accept the proposal or forfeit it entirely.

In an internal memorandum dated 22 July 2026 and seen by the Windhoek Observer, the company announced a proposed increase to the basic guaranteed monthly salary, from N$3,850.95 to N$6 800 for 195 hours per month.

While management has framed this as a 120% increase reflecting a commitment to employee welfare, NASAWU has rejected the proposal, arguing that it does not represent a genuine increment but rather the standard rate for standard working hours.

The union’s position is that paying workers for the hours they actually work is not an increase, and they have refused to accept the company’s framing of the offer as a concession.

A detailed breakdown of the union’s initial demands, as outlined in documents obtained by the Windhoek Observer, reveals that NASAWU proposed a basic salary calculated at N$7,212.62 per month.