Sostenus Wilherm
The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) has moved to reassure its members at Rössing Uranium and Husab Mine following the circulation of a labour arbitration award in favour of the Revolutionary Union (RU), saying the ruling does not automatically affect MUN’s recognition or bargaining rights at the two mining operations.
In a letter from MUN general secretary George Ampweya dated 13 August 2026 to MUN members, the union said it had taken note of the arbitration award involving RU and Beifang Mining Technology Services Namibia (Pty) Ltd, which it said was being circulated and used for recruitment and membership solicitation.
Ampweya said the award should not be interpreted as terminating MUN’s existing recognition and procedural agreements with Rössing Uranium and Husab Mine.
“The award being circulated does not, by itself, terminate or invalidate the existing recognition and procedural agreements between MUN and the respective employer at Rössing and Husab,” Ampweya said.
He said MUN remains the majority union at both operations and continues to enjoy recognition under the existing Recognition and Procedural Agreements.
According to Ampweya, MUN’s status as the recognised bargaining agent at the two operations remains intact unless it is lawfully altered through the applicable statutory and contractual processes.
The clarification follows an arbitration award in which arbitrator Marlee Calph ruled in favour of RU in its long-running labour dispute with Beifang Mining.
The dispute dates back to January 2024, when RU sought recognition as the exclusive bargaining agent for employees at Beifang Mining.
The company subsequently recognised RU and entered into a recognition agreement with the union on 20 March 2024. However, less than a month later, on 11 April 2024, Beifang revoked the agreement, alleging that RU had overstated its membership and no longer represented a majority of employees.
RU challenged the decision before the Office of the Labour Commissioner, arguing that Beifang had ignored both the recognition agreement and the Labour Act by cancelling the agreement without following the prescribed legal process.
After hearing evidence from both parties, Calph rejected Beifang’s argument that the recognition agreement was invalid from the outset.
“The respondent failed to prove that the applicant misrepresented its membership numbers in a manner that would render the agreement a nullity,” Calph stated.
The arbitrator further found that evidence presented during the proceedings suggested that RU had maintained majority support among employees, while discrepancies identified in membership records were insufficient to justify the employer’s decision.
A central issue in the dispute was the procedure followed by Beifang when it withdrew recognition.
Calph found that the company failed to comply with the termination provisions contained in the recognition agreement and Section 64(11) of the Labour Act.
“The respondent did not give 90 days’ notice. It sent a letter on 11 April 2024, purporting to revoke the agreement with immediate effect,” the award states.
Calph further held that an employer cannot unilaterally withdraw recognition from a trade union without complying with mandatory statutory procedures.
“The respondent could not simply take the law into its own hands and self-help by unilaterally cancelling the agreement.”
The award also emphasised that the Labour Act requires an employer to give a recognised union three months to regain majority representation before recognition can be withdrawn.
The labour commissioner consequently declared the cancellation of RU’s recognition agreement “null and void and of no force and effect” and ordered that the agreement concluded on 20 March 2024 be reinstated.
Beifang was also ordered to resume deducting union subscriptions from employees who belong to RU and to cease any interference, intimidation or victimisation of employees because of their union membership.
Ampweya warned MUN members against making what he described as hasty decisions based on claims that the RU award automatically changes MUN’s position at Rössing and Husab.
“Members are therefore strongly advised not to make hasty decisions, resign from MUN, or be persuaded by representations suggesting that this award automatically changes MUN’s legal or bargaining status at Rössing or Husab,” he said.
He advised members requiring clarification to approach their respective MUN Branch Executive Committee, regional office or national office before taking decisions that could affect their representation and collective bargaining rights.
Ampweya also warned against intimidation, victimisation, coercion or undue pressure against MUN members because of their membership or continued association with the union.
“MUN will not tolerate intimidation, victimisation, coercion or undue pressure against any of its members because of their membership or continued association with MUN,” he wrote.
He said any such conduct would be dealt with through the appropriate legal and industrial-relations mechanisms.
