WINDHOEK: The Office of the Labour Commissioner has raised concern about limited annual returns by registered trade unions, saying out of 47 registered unions, only 12 have submitted their annual returns.

Similarly, only three out of 17 employers’ organisations have submitted their returns, the Office of the Labour Commissioner said in a statement on Thursday.

It said some of the trade unions and employers’ organisations that submitted returns provided written representations, while others requested one-on-one representations.

‘The minimal number of submissions of annual returns so far raises significant concerns as some of these entities may lack transparency and accountability to their members, while others may be dormant,’ the statement read.

It further said the submitted annual returns are yet to be analysed to assess their compliance status. The findings will guide subsequent actions by the Labour Commissioner.

According to the Labour Act, the Labour Commissioner has the authority to issue complianc
e orders to non-compliant entities. This may involve steps to rectify non-compliance. Failure to adhere to the order could lead to deregistration or intervention from the Labour Court. The court may issue orders, including suspending registrations pending compliance.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency