News

UNI Commerce Global Union today called on Swiss department store chain Manor to follow its own guidelines for trade union and workers’ rights.



UNI was discouraged to hear that managers at the Manor department store in Geneva have walked away from the mediation process with Swiss union UNIA to resolve charges of anti-union activity.



UNI has support UNIA and its Geneva President Marisa Pralong in their fight for basic workers rights at Manor in Geneva. Management fired Pralong, a saleswoman at the Geneva store, for her trade union activities just after the union asked the store management to set up a work’s council for the more than 900 employees who work there.



“The irony of the situation is that Manor has a code of conduct for suppliers that says suppliers must respect freedom of association and the rights of workers to join unions,” said Head of UNI Commerce Alke Boessiger. “Apparently they support of freedom of association for everyone except their own employees.”



The company also says that it creates an atmosphere of trust and openness for employees, but the firing of Pralong has sent a chilling message to all of her colleagues in Geneva and around Switzerland.



While management in Geneva has refused to engage in meaningful discussions about the union’s complaints, top Manor executives in Berne have said that it is a local issue in Geneva and have refused to get involved.



UNI is calling on Manor’s most senior executives to ensure that Geneva management will engage in a real attempt to mediate a resolution to the dispute.



UNI and UNIA are asking Manor to reinstate Marisa Pralong, respect basic labour rights in all of its stores, form a works council so that workers and managers can discuss issues and start an open dialogue with the union that will lead to a productive relationship.



UNIA has an online petition that you can sign.



The petition says:



Dear Mr. Ponti,

I have learned about the dismissal of Marisa Pralong.

Manor Geneva has fired a sales person who actively worked for the improvement of working conditions.

I therefore call on you to reinstate Marisa Pralong and to ensure the full respect of human and trade union rights at Manor.



You can sign it online at http://www.unia.ch/Manor-Gewerkschaftsrechte.3403.0.html?&L=1, where you are asked to enter your family name, first name and email address.