Some singing and chanting while others bend over hot grills and pots to prepare meals, a stone’s throw from their workplace, Hartlief’s 290 striking workers say they are waiting for their employer, O&L, to join them at the negotiating table.

The employees have been on a no work no pay strike at the popular Hartlief Shop and Bistro in Windhoek’s Northern Industry Area. The group have been striking legally since 28 December last year.

Only nine workers opted not to strike.

The shop has been open but operating with a skeleton staff structure as all but nine of the employees are on strike. All the operators, meat cutters, production, slicing, cleaners, security guards and many other critical positions are all gathered under a large tree.

 The group is on strike because from March last year, Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) and workers’ council committees came up with a salary increment demand of N$770 across the board. The company declined and stated they only work in percentages, according to Ruben Nghifimule, the spokesperson of the group.

He narrated how the company from March till June did not give a response as to what the percentage is. 

“It was a back and forth, going to the table but nothing came out, ending in deadlock and disagreements,” said Nghifimule. The company later offered 3% but Nghifimule said it’s the same 3% being offered to managers and supervisors. “These are the top earners, that 3% is an insult to us as it is N$70 to some employees. What is N$70?” he asked.

The union approached the Labour Commissioner’s office till late September and negotiations with an arbitrator ensued. The negotiations came to a deadlock, which led to the collective decision to organise a legal strike.

Having not received a salary increment in two years, the employees are demanding a 13th cheque, a salary increment of seven or 8%, and the benefits they had under the previous management including a hot meal daily, which was scrapped without consultation with the employees, said Nghifimule. 

The Ohlthaver & List Group acquired a 60% stake in Hartlief Corporation Limited in 2019. O&L, at a media briefing after the acquisition, said they aimed to create 10 000 jobs by 2025, as part of their corporate strategy.

The Namibian multinational conglomerate regularly wins awards as the best place to work for.

“They say they stand firmly on the 3%, and we are saying we are standing firmly on our demands, said Nghifimule. 

“But if the company can move and make changes and say, ‘look that’s what we have now’, we are also ready to make some major compromise on our demands.” 

The shop, according to the employees, is paralysed as nothing is going on. Equipment are down, nothing is going on. 

“Whether it’s going to take a month, a year or two years we are going to stay put. We know it’s hard, but our demand is genuine. Some people started working in 1986 but their salaries are still N$5 000. What are they taking home?” asked Nghifimule.

The group, who gather at 06h00 and leave at 16h00 every weekday, are determined, as they have been receiving moral and spiritual support from passersby. “We are hopeful the company will call Nafau to the table, we know the longer this takes, we will suffer here and there but we are determined,” said Nghifimule.

At the time of going to print, O&L did not respond to questions sent to them despite a promise to respond “soonest”.