Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI)

Dublin Core

Title

Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI)

Description

The Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI) is a vibrant Namibian based research and education institute committed to the overall political and economic independence of all working people in Namibia and beyond. The institute fights for a fair, just social and economic Namibian society through labour research,education, and lobbying and advocacy. The institute believes that the nature and scope of labour research is informed by the struggles and experiences of the working people and consequently shaped by their values, principles and their world view. It is no doubt that labour is the primary source of value but many workers continue to be exploited and undervalued. LaRRI was therefore established in 1998 to seek answers to the existing economic and social order with a view to provide alternative developmental agenda in favour of the working class.


Unionization rates in Namibia are high. 30 trade unions grouped into two federations represent over 100,000 workers. Namibia has no minimum wage, but trade unions have managed to negotiate minimum wage agreements in both the agricultural and construction sectors. Despite some success in the traditional sectors, Namibian Unions still face many challenges, and will have to improve their recruitment strategies and organize their workers in non-traditional sectors. Unions need to develop effective strategies to influence socio-economic policies in favor of the workers and the poor that span beyond the workplace.

LaRRI offers a range of short and medium term courses for trade union leaders, organizers, and shopstewards in Namibia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Courses offered include: political economy, globalization, export processing zones (EPZs), structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) collective bargaining, affirmitive action, and gender issues. In addition, LaRRI offers an accredited labour diploma course, which is run in cooperation with the Workers College, the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, and the University of Namibia.

Besides its research reports, LaRRI has published a range of seminar papers and articles for local and international publications. LaRRI has also produced popular booklets for trade unions, most of which are available on LaRRI’s website and the resource center. LaRRI is a founding member of the African Labour Research Network (ALRN), which carries out research projects for trade unions across Africa.

LaRRI continuously updates and expands its resource centre, which now contains a range of books and periodicals on various topics like trade unions in Namibia and the SADC region, industrial relations, gender equality, international trade unions, HIV/Aids, the Namibian economy, occupational health and safety, as well as UNDP and ILO publications. The resource centre serves as a library for trade unions, NGOs, students and the general public.

The institute engages in public debate by organizing and being invited to public discussions, book presentations, lectures, and workshops. Media appearances are also frequent. Furthermore, the institute will expand its engagements by actively disseminating the ongoing initiatives through poster campaigns, periodic public gatherings with community members, cultural events, and social media.

Organizing the unorganized. Re-defining ‘the working class’ in today’s context. Environmental justice. Mining, fishing, and farming; land-grab issues. Gender equality. Challenges confronting women workers and HIV-AIDS discrimination. Housing and urban rights. Access to housing and the right to the city. Youth and unemployment. Politics and oportunities for the youth. Foreign investment and neo-colonialism. Dispossession through trade agreements. Social protection and economic rights. Basic income grant and state spending.

The items in this collection are taken from open access publication on the LaRRI website. All rights are theirs.

Source

http://www.larri-namibia.org/

Rights

© Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI). The items in this collection are taken from open access publication on the LaRRI website. All rights are theirs.

Collection Items

The increase in uranium mining projects will certainly lead to more employment opportunities for Namibia and for The Erongo region in particular and there will be potential inflow of migrants into Erongo. Based on conversations with some residents of…

The main aim of the study was to examine the possibilities for trade union intervention in the informal economy. A total of 488 interviews were conducted with operators and workers, as well as trade unionists and informal economy associations in…

This booklet will not discuss all aspects in detail but will give a brief overview of Namibia's EPZ programme as well as a profile of the Ramatex Company. The main part of this booklet deals with the experiences of Ramatex workers. All too often…

This report presents the key findings of a pilot research project on Asian migrant workers working at Ramatex, conducted from 31st August 04 to 4th October 2004. This pilot research was funded by the International Labor Rights Fund, and jointly…

Namibia‟s investment policies are largely shaped by the process of globalisation and the neo-liberal line of thought which claims that developing countries have to attract investment by offering increasing concessions to foreign investors. This is…

The main objective of the study was to examine the working conditions of workers at service stations countrywide with a particular focus of exploring the possibility of introducing a minimum wage. Specifically the study aimed to: - Examine the…

This study forms part of a broader 10-country case study on Chinese investments in Africa, coordinated and implemented by the African Labour Research Network (ALRN). African trade union leaders identified the topic as a priority area for the labour…

The United States introduced the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in 2000 with the intention of maximising trade between the US and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Specifically, AGOA aimed at developing the textile industry in SSA…
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