Union Accuses New Management at Globus Neunkirchen of Freezing Out Its Own Staff
Published on 11/08/2026 at 16:52 | Editorial boerse-global.de
A staff meeting at the Globus department store in Neunkirchen has left relations between employees and the site's leadership badly strained, with the Verdi trade union launching a sharp attack on the store's newly installed manager.
According to a report by the Saarbrücker Zeitung on 8 November 2026, union representatives described what happened as a scandal. Works council figures say they were treated with disregard by the local management. Globus Group's head office in St. Wendel has rejected the allegations.
What sparked the row
The dispute centres on how a works assembly at the Neunkirchen site unfolded. After the gathering, Verdi officials voiced pointed criticism of the conduct of the newly appointed manager, arguing that respectful exchange with the workforce had not been guaranteed.
Employee representatives said they felt ignored by the store leadership, and on that basis the union characterised the events during the meeting as an outright scandal. The focus of the criticism is how the management communicates with staff and responds to their concerns.
Head office backs its manager
Globus's corporate leadership in St. Wendel pushed back against the accusations. The head office told the Saarbrücker Zeitung that it rejects Verdi's claims against the head of the Neunkirchen store, adding that it does not share the union's dramatic reading of events and stands behind the local manager.
The two sides are thus in direct opposition. Verdi and the works council complain of a lack of appreciation, while the company's leadership regards the criticism as unjustified.
The legal ground rules
Under the Works Constitution Act (Betriebsverfassungsgesetz), works meetings are a central forum for exchange between employees, the works council and management. Employers are legally required to report at these meetings on the company's economic development as well as on personnel and social matters.
In retail, such gatherings regularly produce heated debate, since the commercial targets set by store management and the working conditions of staff collide head-on.
A constructive relationship between local leadership and the workforce is considered decisive for smooth day-to-day operations. Whether, and in what form, further talks between the parties will follow the confrontation in Neunkirchen was not clear from the initial statements.
