National Union of Namibian Workers

NUNW

National Union of Namibian Workers
Founded	April 24, 1971
Headquarters	Windhoek, Namibia
Location	Namibia
Members	84,900 (estimated)
Key people	Risto Kapenda, president
Affiliations	ITUC, OATUU
Website	www.nunw.org.na

The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) is one of three national trade union centers in Namibia. It was established in 1970 and is affiliated with SWAPO, Namibia's ruling political party.

History

The NUNW was originally established as a general workers union in April 1970 through a resolution of the 1969/70 South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) party congress in Tanzania.[1]: 5  From that time, NUNW became the trade union wing of SWAPO.[2]

In 1978, the NUNW affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions (WTFU). The headquarters in exile of the NUNW were set up in Luanda, Angola in 1979.[1]: 22  From 1986, various industrial unions were established inside Namibia under the umbrella of the NUNW and in 1989, a consolidation congress took place that merged the exiled and internal wings of the NUNW into a unified federation.[1]: 8  The NUNW was thus, as a trade union center, formally established in 1989. In 1991, the NUNW had seven affiliated unions with a total membership of over 60,000.[2]

In October 2009 the NUNW affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), thus effectively withdrawing from the WFTU.[3] In January 2014, NUNW affirmed its allegiance to SWAPO, citing both a shared experience during colonialism and SWAPO's political positions.[4]

Affiliates

The NUNW has nine affiliated member unions with the following estimated membership in 2017.[1]: 23 

Union	Membership	Established[2][5]
Metal and Allied Namibia Workers Union (MANWU)	8,000	1987
Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN)	8,000	1986
Namibia Financial Institutions Union (NAFINU)	4,500
Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU)	12,000	1986
Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU)	16,000	1989
Namibia Public Workers Union (NAPWU)	25,000	1987
Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (NATAU)	4,000	1988
Namibia Music Industry Union (NAMIU)	400
Namibia Farm Workers Union (NAFWU)	7,000
Total	84,900

Notable members

• Tjekero Tweya, MP, NUNW president 1991–1993[6]
• Bernhardt Esau, Secretary General of NUNW in 1991
• Evilastus Kaaronda, former General Secretary
• Hafeni Ludwigh Ndemula
• Pohamba Shifeta
• Ismael Kasuto, president from 1 May 2015
• Risto Kapenda, current president

See also

• Namibia National Labour Organisation (NANLO)
• Trade Union Congress of Namibia (TUCNA)

References

1. Jauch, Herbert. "Namibia's trade union movement: an overview" (PDF). Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
2. "Trade unions in Namibia" (PDF). sahistory.org.za. Namibia Support Committee. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
3. "Le Conseil général de la CSI accepte quatre nouvelles organisations affiliées et se penche sur la crise mondiale". Confédération Syndicale Internationale. ITUC-CSI. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
4. "NUNW reaffirms allegiance to Swapo". Namibian Sun. January 21, 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
5. "NUNW: Proud history, uncertain future". New Era. 30 April 2019.
6. "Tweya, Tjekero". Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 10 May 2020.