Image: Kika/Leiner
“It is highly immoral to now offer employees a mutual termination of employment as of July 31, 2023, when it has been known since the beginning of June that branches will be closed,” said Christine Heitzinger, chair of the services department in the vida union. The restructuring of the company is being carried out at the expense of the employees, who would lose a total of around 200,000 euros if the employment relationship were terminated by mutual agreement, as they would have two weeks less notice. “Investor Rene Benko has earned and the workforce is being ripped off,” said Heitzinger indignantly.
“Resignations are invalid”
In addition, Kika/Leiner did not carry out the early warning to the Public Employment Service (AMS). Trade unionist Heitzinger emphasized that if employers plan to downsize, this must happen: “If that doesn’t happen, the notices given are unlawful and invalid. If the company doesn’t give in, we will also sue for this unlawfulness before the labor court.”
SPÖ tourism spokeswoman Melanie Erasim also criticized the way the employees were treated: “As late as June, the insolvency administrator explained that the employees in the catering companies do not have to worry about their jobs,” she said in a statement. “First Kurz-Freund Benko was put on the chute for the purchase, then the group was deferred hundreds of millions in taxes, and now there are 2,000 workers on the street, while Benko is said to have made a profit of 300 million euros,” criticized the SPÖ tourism spokeswoman. She also confirmed her offer to support affected employees.
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