NANTU Secretary General Loide Shaanika has called on workers to continuously skill up, warning that the workforce risks becoming strangers in their own jobs as technology advances.
Shaanika stressed that training should not be reduced to once-off workshops aimed at attendance registers and per diems but should be directly linked to employees' daily responsibilities.
She called for stronger legal protection against workplace bullying, psychological harassment, the victimisation of union members, and abuse of managerial power.
"Let us therefore say it clearly and respectfully that no worker must be bullied, victimised, silenced or intimidated for standing up for his or her rights. No shop stewards must be punished for representing workers. No union must be undermined for doing what the law and democracy require it to do."
According to Shaanika, where workers are humiliated, threatened, or silenced, productivity declines before the work even begins.
She also called for stronger protection of trade union activities, noting that undermining unions weakens social dialogue and erodes trust and cooperation in the workplace.
Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua says Workers' Day is not only a remembrance of past struggles but also an invitation to future efforts.
He noted that the day should serve as a moment to renew workers' commitment to building a country where work has dignity and every Namibian feels a sense of belonging.
"Let this day reaffirm our commitment to empowering workers, our responsibility to create opportunities and our collective duty to build a Namibia where no worker is left behind."
A board member of the Namibia Employers Federation, Libonina Nawa, said Workers' Day is a reminder that sustainable progress depends on strong partnerships.
He emphasised that employers, workers, and government are not separate entities but interdependent partners whose success is closely linked.
"Employers remain central to the success of in-service training. It is within the workplace that skills are applied, refined, and translated into productivity. Employers invest in training not only to support their workforce but also to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of their operations."