Unions reject proposal to split monthly salaries
Labour unions have rejected a proposal to split workers’ monthly salaries into two payments. This follows City of Windhoek councillor Fransina Kahungu’s proposal this week that salaries should be paid in two instalments each month. She said it would help employees better manage their finances. National Union of Namibian Workers secretary general Job Muniaro, however, […] The post Unions reject proposal to split monthly salaries appeared first on The Namibian .
Labour unions have rejected a proposal to split workers’ monthly salaries into two payments.
This follows City of Windhoek councillor Fransina Kahungu’s proposal this week that salaries should be paid in two instalments each month.
She said it would help employees better manage their finances.
National Union of Namibian Workers secretary general Job Muniaro, however, yesterday said splitting salaries would not solve the financial challenges workers face.
“Splitting salaries is going to be an extreme burden to Namibian workers. The idea does not need to be spread any further because it does not speak to the betterment of the lives of Namibian workers,” he said.
Muniaro said many low-income earners already struggle to survive on their monthly wages and dividing those wages into two payments would make it harder for them to meet their financial obligations.
“If someone earns N$1 500 and you give them N$750 to survive for two weeks, yet they have a fixed payment of N$400 every month on an account, how are they supposed to satisfy those obligations? Are they expected to pay everything in fragments?” he asked.
He said splitting salaries would not reduce workers’ monthly expenses, but would make financial planning more difficult.
After deductions, such as loan repayments, insurance premiums and taxes, workers could be left with very little money at month-end to cover transport, food and other family needs, he said.
