In the second round of collective bargaining for the workforce of the insolvent department store chain Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, there was no compromise. The employers continue to demand a reduced collective agreement without showing sufficient strategic perspectives, said the negotiator of the Verdi union, Marcel Schäuble, on Wednesday after the talks in Frankfurt. In the third round, which has not yet been scheduled, a viable concept for the future of the department store and a negotiable offer for the approximately 17,400 remaining employees are expected.
The management, on the other hand, defended its restructuring concept, which independent experts had deemed plausible. With a focus on promising locations and sensible areas, a significantly faster conversion is possible within three years, explained a spokesman. The branches should be managed more regionally and offer more shop in shop. All groups involved must contribute to the implementation. However, there is no scope for additional financial burdens.
The talks are taking place against the background that further deep cuts are imminent at the insolvent department store group under self-administration. At the beginning of the month, the district court in Essen opened new insolvency proceedings for the state-backed retail giant. It is still unclear how many of the 129 branches will be retained or sold and how many stores will be permanently closed. Verdi is demanding that employees return to the retail collective agreement after they had already waived their salary after the first bankruptcy in 2020. (dpa)