O&L workers protest won’t die down

A DISPUTE between the Ohlthaver & List Group of companies (O&L) and disgruntled ex-employees who were dismissed back in 1989 refuses to die down.

Last Thursday, a group of approximately 20 ex-O&L employees, most of whom have since passed retirement age, staged a demonstration outside of the company’s headquarters in Windhoek. They remained there for most of the weekend.As they have done at various intervals for the past 16 years, the demonstrators demanded that the company pay them outstanding pensions as well as other benefits, payment for a loss of income between 1989 and 2006, as well as hand over houses and plots which they claim to have paid for between 1985 and 1989.In September, the group approached the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) to try and get the company to meet their demands.This led to various meetings between the O&L management and the group’s representatives, where the company promised to take care of any legitimate claims that could be proved.It added, however, that to its knowledge it had already settled all claims “in line with company policy and procedures applicable at the time”.During the demonstration last week, workers charged that “after a series of meetings…behind closed doors”, they had come to the conclusion that the company is not interested in meeting their demands.”We tried to solve our problem in a good spirit without the involvement of the media and the public, (but) after 16 years of trying to solve this problem with you, nothing was done during those years,” a petition addressed to the company read.They demanded a total package of N$200 000 per person, apparently calculated to include compensation for their “unfair” dismissals, their last pensions and as payment for the plots and houses the company is said to owe them.In a scathing response this week, O&L Group manager for Public Relations Patrick Hashingola said the demonstrators were jeopardising efforts to resolve their demands “in a spirit of mutual respect”.”Considerable time and effort was spent by the Ohlthaver & List Group in trying to address the former employees’ issues which, incidentally, were raised after 17 years.Various records and archive material were consulted by the group.The former employees were also requested to come forward with proof backing their allegations.They have so far failed to do so,” Hashingola stated on Tuesday.He charged that the group’s demands were “baseless”, as a Supreme Court settlement had been reached in 1989 between O&L and various former employees.”Nevertheless, the O&L Group remains committed to assist the former employees with regard to further consulting pension records …in order to resolve the pension issue,” Hashingola stated.The incident which gave rise to the current dispute happened during September 1989, when 191 employees of then South West Breweries Ltd were dismissed by the company.The company claims that the affected workers had staged an illegal strike following the dismissal of a workers’ representative who had contravened the conditions of his employment contract.The group however argue that they were unfairly fired after participating in pre-independence demonstrations.They claim that Police shot at them with rubber bullets, beat them with sjamboks and set dogs on them.About 70 of them were briefly reinstated in 1993, the group acknowledge, but were retrenched after less than four months when the plant where they worked was closed.They claim that the company promised them new jobs at Tsumeb and other towns.They remained there for most of the weekend.As they have done at various intervals for the past 16 years, the demonstrators demanded that the company pay them outstanding pensions as well as other benefits, payment for a loss of income between 1989 and 2006, as well as hand over houses and plots which they claim to have paid for between 1985 and 1989.In September, the group approached the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) to try and get the company to meet their demands.This led to various meetings between the O&L management and the group’s representatives, where the company promised to take care of any legitimate claims that could be proved.It added, however, that to its knowledge it had already settled all claims “in line with company policy and procedures applicable at the time”.During the demonstration last week, workers charged that “after a series of meetings…behind closed doors”, they had come to the conclusion that the company is not interested in meeting their demands.”We tried to solve our problem in a good spirit without the involvement of the media and the public, (but) after 16 years of trying to solve this problem with you, nothing was done during those years,” a petition addressed to the company read.They demanded a total package of N$200 000 per person, apparently calculated to include compensation for their “unfair” dismissals, their last pensions and as payment for the plots and houses the company is said to owe them.In a scathing response this week, O&L Group manager for Public Relations Patrick Hashingola said the demonstrators were jeopardising efforts to resolve their demands “in a spirit of mutual respect”.”Considerable time and effort was spent by the Ohlthaver & List Group in trying to address the former employees’ issues which, incidentally, were raised after 17 years.Various records and archive material were consulted by the group.The former employees were also requested to come forward with proof backing their allegations.They have so far failed to do so,” Hashingola stated on Tuesday.He charged that the group’s demands were “baseless”, as a Supreme Court settlement had been reached in 1989 between O&L and various former employees.”Nevertheless, the O&L Group remains committed to assist the former employees with regard to further consulting pension records …in order to resolve the pension issue,” Hashingola stated. The incident which gave rise to the current dispute happened during September 1989, when 191 employees of then South West Breweries Ltd were dismissed by the company.The company claims that the affected workers had staged an illegal strike following the dismissal of a workers’ representative who had contravened the conditions of his employment contract.The group however argue that they were unfairly fired after participating in pre-independence demonstrations.They claim that Police shot at them with rubber bullets, beat them with sjamboks and set dogs on them.About 70 of them were briefly reinstated in 1993, the group acknowledge, but were retrenched after less than four months when the plant where they worked was closed.They claim that the company promised them new jobs at Tsumeb and other towns.