The Hartlief Group and the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) recently signed a one year substantive agreement, effective on 1 July 2022.

 The agreement sees the bargaining unit employees receive a 7% increase on their basic salary, an adjusted transport allowance as well as a re-alignment of package benefits to eliminate discrepancies. 

The Hartlief Group, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, comprises three main operations, which include the Hartlief Factory, Hartlief Shop & Bistro (S&B) and the Hartlief South Africa retail outlets and depot with an overall employee count of 423. 

Managing director of the Hartlief Group Gunther Ling noted the successful conclusion of the negotiation process was a highlight for the group considering strained employee relations faced in the past. Ling further went on to praise the negotiations team of both Hartlief and the union for the open and honest discussions brought to the table that helped conclude the process. 

“With the unprecedented stress being placed on food producers and supply chains and bottlenecks observed in farm labour, processing and logistics, as well as shifts in demand, the pandemic has directly and indirectly impacted overall meat and processed meat production. However, we remain focussed on our Vision 2025 strategy and believe that by ensuring that our employees remain engaged and rooted in our culture and vision, we can achieve success together. The signing of this agreement is momentous for us because it marks a new era in our employee relations and the culture we want to drive of inclusivity, fairness and trust,” said Ling.  

Regional Coordinator: Central for Nafau, Simon Muukapo, expressed his gratitude towards Hartlief for how they handled the negotiations with transparency and understanding of the employees’ views. 

He further reiterated that for Namibia to rebuild its economy after the devastating impact of Covid-19, it would take companies such as O&L and Hartlief, organisations such as Nafau and the entire workforce to work together. 

Said Muukapo: “We are the masters of our destiny. As employees, we need to do the right things right – not just for ourselves – but for the company as well. This is our future and the future of our children. As companies, we need to have understanding for what our employees face in the aftermath of Covid. We are very grateful that we could sit around a table, discuss and conclude a fair agreement for both parties, and we look forward to a year of success in business”.