Since the Karstadt department store company announced, in mid-May, that it wanted to get out, for two years, of the collective agreements in force in retail trade, a major dispute burst out between the company and the Verdi services union. Verdi had already organized several warning strikes to get the management to change its mind. The chain’s owner, billionaire Nicolas Berggruen, counterattacked and questioned the union’s motivation in an interview. This conflict comes on top of the battle Verdi is already fighting against Amazon, the internet giant. Besides, the union is engaged in two difficult negotiations on the renewal of regional collective pay agreements in retail trade. Verdi’s goal is always the same: stand up against the growing erosion of collective agreements. (Ref. 130378)
Verdi says Karstadt employees saved €650 million. Three years ago, billionaire Nicolas Berggruen bought the chain about to go bankrupt, raising hopes among employees. The financial investor, a philanthropist and art collector, had won over two other rivals partly because it had Verdi’s support. He bought the company for one symbolic euro. But things are heating up between the two former allies. “I don’t like what the union is saying about me,” Berggruen said in an interview to the Bildzeit
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