Hungry Lion staffers protest poor pay

RETHABILE MOHONO

MASERU – Employees at the fast-food outlet Hungry Lion at the Maseru Mall have downed tools in protest, demanding better wages and improved working conditions.

The workers are calling for their monthly salary to be raised from the current M2 700 to M4 800, aligning with the wages reportedly earned by their counterparts in South Africa.

Among their key grievances are hazardous working conditions, including the manual defrosting of ice-cold meat without proper protective gear.

Workers say the lack of appropriate uniforms and safety measures is endangering their health.

“We are forced to defrost meat manually. This poses significant risks to our health. It highlights a severe lack of adherence to safety protocols within the workplace,” one worker told Public Eye, speaking anonymously out of fear of reprisal.

Another worker echoed these concerns, pointing out that despite their minimal wages, management expects them to purchase their own uniforms. This has caused additional hardship, especially for those working in cold storage areas.

“We are treated unfairly. We work hard, but our salaries do not reflect our efforts, especially when compared to South Africa. And to top it off, we risk our health every day with these unsafe practices and without proper gear,” the employee added.

The striking workers have vowed to continue their industrial action until their demands are met and their working conditions significantly improved.

They are seeking a minimum wage of M4 000, which they argue is the least that can be offered for the type of labour they perform under current conditions.

Efforts to obtain a response from Hungry Lion management were unsuccessful, as company representatives declined to comment.

The strike has since spread beyond Maseru.

Workers at the Hungry Lion outlet in Teyateyaneng (TY) joined the protest, but their demonstration was forcibly broken up by police.

According to Tšepang Makakole, Secretary General of the National Clothing Textile and Allied Workers Union, police officers in TY – led by a known friend and neighbour of the local Hungry Lion manager – intervened without justification.

“They acted with bias and overstepped their authority. The strike was peaceful and lawful,” Makakole said.

Workers have also raised concerns about favoritism and discrimination within the company, claiming that some employees are consistently treated better than others, further fueling dissatisfaction.

With the strike gaining momentum and drawing national attention, pressure is mounting on Hungry Lion management to respond meaningfully to the workers’ demands – or risk prolonged disruption and reputational damage.