However, this was overshadowed by the dismissals of two co-initiators. The GPA Tirol union saw a connection and, according to reports from ORF Tirol and the “Tiroler Tageszeitung”, filed a lawsuit on Friday. MPreis himself welcomed the establishment of the works council and disputed the union’s portrayal.
Termination “planned for a long time”
MPreis would rather support the establishment of a works council, which was proposed in July, “as part of the necessary restructuring,” the company told “TT.” “The termination of the employment relationship with two senior employees who co-initiated the establishment of the works council had been planned for some time and is not related to this,” it was emphasized.
The union, however, had a different view of things, especially since the terminations were made by telephone in “immediate temporal proximity,” said GPA Tirol managing director Harald Schweighofer. Those affected are still within the notice period and have been released from duty. Schweighofer suspected termination “for a disreputable reason.” This applies, for example, when someone is prevented from forming a works council. The union representative confirmed that MPreis supported the establishment of the works council. The establishment of the staff representation is to be finalized by autumn.
300 branches in six federal states
In future, the works council will represent employees in Austria. This includes employees of the MPreis grocery stores, Baguette, the T&G markets and MiniM. According to GPA, there are 300 branches in six federal states, 200 of which are in Tyrol.
The food retailer recently had a personnel change at the top. Martina Dutzler left the management and was replaced by the German finance and restructuring expert Stefan Gros. Most recently, the company’s management had set the goal of “getting back into the black” this year – in contrast to 2022 and 2023 – and thus getting into the profit zone. Branches outside the “core area” in the state of Tyrol, namely “eastern locations” or “more distant branches”, were to be put to the test. “Evaluations” would be carried out.
