Striking Hartlief Shop and Bistro workers have accused the Ohlthaver and List Group of using scab labour to replace them while they are on a legal
strike.

“Today, we found some scab labourers. The Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) is ready to file papers to launch a High Court interdict to stop the company from using scab labour,” said workers’ spokesperson Ruben Nghifimule when contacted yesterday.

The workers, who withdrew their labour after protracted negotiations proved fruitless, have been on strike since 28 December 2021.

Late on Monday, O&L group spokesperson Roux-ché Locke said the shop would probably have opened by yesterday, “or further notice”, and that the business has lost several millions.

Yesterday, Locke said “Hartlief is acting within Rule 7 of the agreed strike rules, and we can confirm that no scab labour is used.

“We did hire four temp (APS) personnel before the strike due to peak season needs, and this might be confused by the allegations of the striking workers,” she added.

Hartlief Shop and Bistro, a meat manufacturing company selling raw and processed meat locally as well as internationally, has projected millions of losses in revenue incurred during the ongoing strike, which is currently in its third week. 

“The financial impact of the strike is not yet known; it depends on the duration. However, a high-level estimate indicates a risk of several millions lost to Hartlief,” stated Locke.

According to her, no production has been possible throughout the strike, including the fact that no fresh meat orders could be supplied to its clients. 

“The company has started with a business continuity plan to continuously assess and re-assess the impact of the strike on business. The company has also taken the necessary measures to ensure that fresh meat is frozen to ensure the health and safety of people, while processed meat products are managed to prevent quality or expiry risks to ensure the health and safety of people,” she explained.

When New Era interviewed the striking workers on Monday, they had said they were waiting for their employer, O&L, to join them at the negotiating table. According to Nghifimule, employees had received no salary increments for two years. They are demanding a 13th cheque, a salary increment of 7% or 8%, and the benefits they had under the previous management. 

Locke concurred that “the demands of the striking employees have not been met, and the matter remains unresolved as at 3 January 2022 as neither parties have reached an agreement as yet. However, we expect negotiations to take place soon”. 

Hartlief had informed the employees through their union that they firmly remain on their position of 3% and the N$200 shift from incentive to their basic salaries.  

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

The employees have been on a no-work no-pay strike. The group gather at 06h00, and leave at 16h00 every weekday, and remain resolute.

“We are hopeful that the company will call Nafau to the table. We know the longer this takes, we will suffer here and there, but we are determined,” he added.