After the announcement of numerous branch closures at Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, the Verdi union wants to fight for jobs at Germany’s last large department store chain. “For us, it’s now about getting as many jobs as possible,” said federal board member Stefanie Nutzberger on Monday evening.
In view of the slump in consumption and energy prices, the retail giant had sought rescue in a protective shield procedure and announced that it would close at least a third of its remaining 131 department stores. Layoffs for operational reasons are unavoidable.
Nutzberger called for greater commitment from the Galeria owner, Austrian real estate billionaire René Benko, to rescue the company. “Our colleagues in the 131 department stores are wondering where the owner is in this extremely existentially threatening situation for 17,400 people and their families.” Additional money is now needed for the company. “There are clear expectations of the owner.”
In addition, the group management must present a viable concept for the future. “The employees made many concrete suggestions for a successful future, which were not listened to by the management,” said Nutzberger. Verdi asked the management to enter into negotiations immediately.
2000 employees affected by Galeria difficulties
According to the Verdi union, “certainly around 2,000 employees” are affected by the financial problems of the department store chain Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof in Berlin and Brandenburg. “We will definitely fight for each and every one of these jobs,” said Conny Weißbach, Head of Trade at Verdi Berlin-Brandenburg, on Tuesday to RBB.
She stressed that she believes these jobs could be preserved because department stores have “a promising future”. There is a great need “not to have to trundle from shop to shop in a mall, but to be able to make a purchase quickly and with advice from a single source”. “In this respect, the concept has not become obsolete. But the question is how to implement it,” said Weißbach.
Germany’s last large department store group wants to close more than 40 of its remaining 131 department stores. This was announced by company boss Miguel Müllenbach in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” on Monday. Layoffs are unavoidable. A few hours earlier, the company had had to seek rescue in a protective shield procedure for the second time in less than two years, as a company spokesman said on Monday. The retail giant with its 17,000 employees is still represented in 97 German cities. According to the company, there are ten branches in Berlin and two in Brandenburg. (dpa)
Editor’s note: This post was updated at 5:15 p.m. on November 1, 2022.