O&L on chopping block over jobs

A SMALL group of workers who fear losing jobs at a leading company protested in central Windhoek yesterday, demanding job security and consultations with their union on any restructuring process.

The demonstration follows a number of high-level meetings that started yesterday to find an amicable solution to the workers’ dilemma. Florence Rukata, treasurer of the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau), accused the Ohlthaver & List Group of embarking on a “rush and crush” strategy with restructuring its subsidiaries over the past two years, axing nearly one thousand jobs in the process.The latest restructuring started last week at Windhoek Schlachterei, where 30 jobs are at stake.”Some 950 of our members lost their jobs at subsidiaries like the Hansa Brewery in Swakopmund, Hangana Seafood, Namibia Dairies, the Mariental dairy depot and several of their hotels,” Rukata said.”Since the current Executive Chairman (Sven Thieme) took over from his grandfather (Werner List), things have never been the same.The new Executive is overconfident and too fast – his uncontrolled speed of steering O&L through restructuring and retrenchment at the expense of workers is totally unacceptable to us,” Rukata charged.Employees feared that more jobs would be shed at the Group, she added.”Workers and Nafau are very conscious of the need to develop the Namibian economy, but not at any cost,” the union leader said.Her sentiments drew applause from the crowd amidst shouts of ‘Down Sven Thieme’ and ‘We need dialogue!’ If O&L did not listen to the concerns of their workers, Nafau would wage “a furious campaign from now”, threatening a boycott against the group’s products.In the petition, handed over to Group Vice Chairman Udo Stritter, Nafau demands among others that the restructuring of Windhoek Schlachterei be halted.Receiving the petition, Stritter said the Group was committed to Namibia’s development and economic growth in a sustainable way.”We are absolutely committed to solve this issue and for any mistakes that occurred from the side of the Group I personally apologise,” Stritter said.Nafau Secretary General Kiros Sackarias told Stritter that Nafau should have been part and parcel of the process.Meanwhile, the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) also addressed the issue.”None of the 93 affected workers will reapply for any position if they are the same as the old ones under the new structure,” NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda told reporters yesterday afternoon.Referring to demonstrations at a fish factory at Luederitz and at a service station at Usakos last week, Kaaronda claimed there was a “wave of labour unrest looming” in Namibia.Managers of O&L discussed the restructuring process at the butchery with Nafau leaders yesterday afternoon.Acting MD of Windhoek Schlachterei Andy Roberts confirmed to the The Namibian that “the restructuring process will not be stopped, it continues”.Florence Rukata, treasurer of the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau), accused the Ohlthaver & List Group of embarking on a “rush and crush” strategy with restructuring its subsidiaries over the past two years, axing nearly one thousand jobs in the process.The latest restructuring started last week at Windhoek Schlachterei, where 30 jobs are at stake.”Some 950 of our members lost their jobs at subsidiaries like the Hansa Brewery in Swakopmund, Hangana Seafood, Namibia Dairies, the Mariental dairy depot and several of their hotels,” Rukata said.”Since the current Executive Chairman (Sven Thieme) took over from his grandfather (Werner List), things have never been the same.The new Executive is overconfident and too fast – his uncontrolled speed of steering O&L through restructuring and retrenchment at the expense of workers is totally unacceptable to us,” Rukata charged.Employees feared that more jobs would be shed at the Group, she added.”Workers and Nafau are very conscious of the need to develop the Namibian economy, but not at any cost,” the union leader said.Her sentiments drew applause from the crowd amidst shouts of ‘Down Sven Thieme’ and ‘We need dialogue!’ If O&L did not listen to the concerns of their workers, Nafau would wage “a furious campaign from now”, threatening a boycott against the group’s products.In the petition, handed over to Group Vice Chairman Udo Stritter, Nafau demands among others that the restructuring of Windhoek Schlachterei be halted.Receiving the petition, Stritter said the Group was committed to Namibia’s development and economic growth in a sustainable way.”We are absolutely committed to solve this issue and for any mistakes that occurred from the side of the Group I personally apologise,” Stritter said.Nafau Secretary General Kiros Sackarias told Stritter that Nafau should have been part and parcel of the process.Meanwhile, the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) also addressed the issue.”None of the 93 affected workers will reapply for any position if they are the same as the old ones under the new structure,” NUNW Secretary General Evilastus Kaaronda told reporters yesterday afternoon.Referring to demonstrations at a fish factory at Luederitz and at a service station at Usakos last week, Kaaronda claimed there was a “wave of labour unrest looming” in Namibia.Managers of O&L discussed the restructuring process at the butchery with Nafau leaders yesterday afternoon.Acting MD of Windhoek Schlachterei Andy Roberts confirmed to the The Namibian that “the restructuring process will not be stopped, it continues”.