The Hartlief Group, a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group and the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (NAFAU) has signed a one year substantive agreement, taking effect on 1 July 2022.
The agreement sees the bargaining unit employees receiving 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 comprises three (3) main operations that includes the Hartlief Factory, Hartlief Shop & Bistro (S&B) and the Hartlief South Africa retail outlets and depot with an employee count of 423.
Gunther Ling, Managing Director of The Hartlief Group noted that the successful conclusion of the negotiation process was a highlight for the group considering the strained employee relations they had faced in the past.
“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, “ he said.
Simon Muukapo, Regional Coordinator: Central for NAFAU expressed his gratitude to Hartlief on how the company had handled the negotiations
“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 and discuss and conclude a fair agreement for both parties and we look forward to a year of success in business,” he said.
