News

Romanian commerce union FsC (Federatia Sindicatelor din Comert) said it reached an agreement with managers at Real Romania to open stores on Christmas Day but close them for New Year’s Day. Previously management had informed employees that the chain would be open for the first time ever on December 25^th and January 1^st, days Romanians traditionally spend at home with their families.



Along with the negotiated compromise on protecting the New Year’s Day holiday, Real Romania management confirmed that the existing collective agreement, which expires on 31 December 2011, will remain in place until negotiations for a new agreement have been finalised. Real, owned by retail multination Metro Group, has also re-affirmed its commitment to fair working conditions and social partnership and will ensure that union members and elected union officials are treated with respect.



“We are pleased that our Romanian colleagues will be able to spend New Year’s Day with their families and that company management have made additional assurances regarding the continuation of the current collective agreement,” said Head of UNI Commerce Alke Boessiger. “We’d also like to thank our affiliated unions for showing their solidarity and sending messages to Metro executives urging them to respect workers’ rights. This victory for shows the power we have when we are acting together.”



Earlier this week, UNI Commerce and its affiliated unions around the world condemned the threats and pressure put on workers to force them to work during the holidays.



Retail multinational Carrefour, with whom UNI has signed a global agreement to guarantee worker rights wherever the company operates, has decided not to open its stores in Romania on December 25^th and Jan 1^st to compete with Real. The decision to keep the stores closed was made after Romanian workers and the union told managers that they wanted to stay home with their families. Carrefour respected their employees’ wishes to ensure that the productive partnership with the union will continue into the new year.