07.04.2008

Essen, Germany, April 7, 2008. In light of the absence of a collective agreement for the retail trade which has been the case for many months now, the Management Board of Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH has decided to give all non-managerial employees a one-off payment of €250 and all trainees a one-off payment of €125. "The Management Board has decided that the lack of clarification with regard to salaries must no longer be allowed to have a negative impact on our employees or managers," said CEO Peter Wolf today in Essen. He stated that Karstadt wants to make a clear sign by taking this step. The employers had made a new offer in North Rhine-Westphalia a few days ago but it was rejected by the ver.di trade union.

Following a three-year reorganization collective agreement which ended on December 31, 2007, Karstadt has been waiting for the employers' association and the ver.di trade union to find a solution to the situation since the start of the year. The lack of a collective agreement was placing the employees and management under more and more strain. The above-mentioned sums will be included in the April salary package, Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH informed its employees. Peter Wolf, "We are confident that our employees will view our decision as a positive signal."
 

Das Unternehmen Karstadt
Rudolph Karstadt eröffnete am 14. Mai 1881 in Wismar sein erstes Geschäft. 125 Jahre nach der Gründung gehört die Karstadt Warenhaus GmbH, eine 100prozentige Tochter der Arcandor AG, zu Europas führenden Warenhausunternehmen. Täglich besuchen mehr als zwei Millionen Kunden die 90 Warenhäuser und 28 Karstadt-Sporthäuser. Vorsitzender der Geschäftsführung ist Peter Wolf, Mitglied des Vorstandes der Arcandor AG (Essen).

Pressekontakt:

Konzernkommunikation
Martin Schleinhege/Michael Scheibe
Telefon: 0201 / 727 - 9667
E-Mail: martin.schleinhege@arcandor.com