Thuringia’s former Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Left) considers closing the Erfurt Zalando logistics center with around 2,700 employees to be economically unjustifiable. “It is an irresponsible way to handle your own working capital like this,” said Ramelow to the German Press Agency in Erfurt. According to him, the board of the online fashion retailer has estimated 80 million euros as closure costs for the Thuringian location.
Citing expert estimates, Ramelow is of the opinion that the large logistics center could be brought up to date with investments of around 120 million euros. “The difference is far too small to throw the site away,” says Ramelow, who has been Vice President of the Bundestag since last year. Accompanying assistance such as short-time working benefits is also possible.
Works council wants to meet Zalando board
The works council of the Zalando logistics center wants to go to Berlin this Monday with employee and union representatives to hand over hundreds of postcards to the board of the DAX group and to talk to them. Employees and their family members wrote down their concerns, demands and thoughts about the situation at the location on the cards.
The postcards are “the collected voices of the people who have supported this location for years. We expect the board to hear these voices and face up to its social responsibility,” explained the works council. According to the employee representatives, the workforce is required to have a clear perspective. At a rally on May 1st, Thuringia’s Prime Minister Mario Voigt (CDU) called on the Zalando board to “use this as an opportunity for dialogue.” You shouldn’t work against each other.
Talks planned in the Bundestag
The works council reported that Ramelow invited the delegation to the Bundestag on Monday afternoon. The employee representatives wanted to talk to representatives and make their positions clear in the dispute over jobs in Erfurt.
Zalando wants to close the logistics center with which the online fashion retailer grew up in September. This would mean that all employees would lose their jobs in Erfurt. The conflict has been simmering since the beginning of the year, and there have now been two works meetings, most recently without management representatives, as well as a demonstration by employees and supporters in Erfurt. There is also ongoing labor court proceedings to set up a conciliation board.