Patience Makwele
Furnmart workers in Katima Mulilo on Monday joined a nationwide strike after rejecting the company’s 5% salary increase offer, saying rising transport costs and food prices have made it increasingly difficult for employees to make ends meet.
The workers who were represented by the Metal and Allied Workers Union of Namibia (MANWU), are demanding an 8% salary increment, a monthly housing allowance of N$500, one day off every month and safety boots for drivers and general workers.
MANWU branch organiser Gift Machinga said negotiations with the furniture retailer started in August last year but eventually reached a deadlock, leaving workers with no option but to embark on industrial action.
“We started negotiating with the company last year in August, but we could not reach an agreement. The workers are looking at their conditions of service and the rising cost of living. Taxi fares have increased, food prices have gone up and many of them are staying very far from their workplace,” Machinga said.
According to him, the company agreed to provide one day off per month and safety boots for drivers and general workers but remained unwilling to meet workers’ demand for an 8% salary increase and a housing allowance.
“The workers feel the company’s offer is unreasonable. They believe management can do better than 5% considering the economic realities people are facing,” he said.
The strike is taking place countrywide, with workers from various Furnmart branches participating in the industrial action.
Although workers have downed tools, the Katima Mulilo store remained operational on Monday, with some employees continuing to report for duty, although in solidarity with their colleagues because they could not afford to forfeit their wages.
Machinga said those participating in the strike have made a sacrifice in the hope that management will return to the negotiating table and address their demands.
“We hope the management hears us and responds before Friday. Nobody wants to be on strike but workers also need to survive,” he said.
One employee who works for the company but asked not to be named said many workers are increasingly struggling to cope with the rising cost of living.
“Five percent sounds good on paper but when you calculate transport costs, rent and food prices, it does not make much of a difference. We are here working full-time and still struggling to make ends meet,” the employee said.
Another worker said the housing allowance demand is not unreasonable given the cost of accommodation in Katima Mulilo.
“Many of us spend a significant portion of our salaries on rent and transport. We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for conditions that allow us to live with dignity,” the employee said.
Economic analyst Martin Lutibezi Kamwi said the dispute highlights the growing tension between wage demands and the rising cost of living facing many Namibian households.
“When inflationary pressures affect transport, food and housing costs, workers naturally expect wage adjustments that help preserve their purchasing power. Employers, on the other hand, have to balance labour costs against business sustainability. The challenge is finding a middle ground that recognises both realities,” he said.
Political analyst Joubert Harushando said labour disputes increasingly reflect broader economic frustrations among workers.
“When employees feel that their incomes are no longer keeping pace with living costs, industrial action becomes more likely. Strikes should be viewed not only as wage disputes but also as indicators of deeper socio-economic pressures affecting households,” he said.
Harushando added that prolonged labour disputes can have implications beyond individual companies.
“When workers struggle financially, it affects consumer spending and local economies. Equally, prolonged strikes can disrupt business operations and affect investor confidence. This is why constructive engagement and compromise are critical,” he said.
He urged both parties to return to the negotiating table in good faith, saying prolonged industrial action benefits neither workers nor employers.
“Compromise is essential. Workers have legitimate concerns about the rising cost of living while businesses also have operational realities to consider. The best way forward is meaningful engagement aimed at finding common ground,” he said.
Adding that the dispute should serve as a wake-up call for both government and employers to pay closer attention to the widening gap between wages and living costs.
“The conversation should not end at Furnmart. We need broader discussions about living wages, worker welfare and productivity because these issues are becoming increasingly common across sectors,” he said.
The industrial action comes amid growing concerns about the cost of living and wage pressures in Namibia, with workers across several sectors increasingly calling for salary adjustments to keep pace with rising expenses.
By the time of publication, Furnmart management had not responded to calls made by this publication regarding the workers’ demands and the company’s position on the ongoing strike.
