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Clothing Company, Zara denies abuse of Swedish workers
Friday, 23 March 2012 The Spanish clothing chain, Zara’s Swedish management rejects allegations of harassment of staff brought before it recently.
In a Swedish
television investigation program, the company’s Swedish operations were
exposed to have put their workers in un acceptable situation as such
they were criticised on Wednesday harshly.
Zara receive
sharp criticism for how it manages its staff and to use methods similar
to harassment against it workers reports the Swedish television program
on Wednesday.
“As soon as you
begin to question and assert your rights then you are a troublemaker.
Then it’s just as well to find a new job, otherwise they break you down
until you stop yourself, “says one person who worked at Zara to Swedish
television in the investigative program.
Clothing chain
Zara has nearly 2,000 stores in 77 countries and is part of Inditex,
one of the world’s largest fashion groups. Inditex has been listed on
Spanish stock exchanges and generated sales of Skr120 billion last year
– almost as much as its chief competitor, Swedish H & M.
Zara came to Sweden nine years ago and has eight stores and 350 employees.
In the program
it was witnessed that a number of employees and former employees at
Zara were operating in a destructive culture where harassment and
ostracism is part of punishment for employees who question the heads or
claim their rights.
Trade union has
criticized the working conditions for Zara for years. The union filed
Zara in 2010 to the Work Environment Authority and demanded immediate
action from the company to improve working conditions which they
believed led to psychological ill health which also contributed to
staff turnover.
Roy Stafsén is
the mediator of Trade in Gothenburg in charge of clothing stores and
shoes. She confirms the impression from the program and feel that
Zara’s hierarchy makes it hard to get in touch with the right person at
the company.
Following the program, Zara’s management contacted the Trade center to schedule an appointment. “We wanted to
wait until we had seen the program before we booked an appointment, but
my thought is that we should meet as soon as possible, “said Roy
Stafsén.
As recently as
a few weeks ago she had a meeting with Zara’s management to discuss
overtime pay, the right to freedom of time and the problems of who will
be the union’s counterpart in negotiations because the store manager
does not have the mandate, but that it is always someone from the
headquarters in Stockholm who will be involved.
Zara and
Inditex writes that “The allegations of abuse that have emerged in the
Swedish television program will of course be taken seriously and
addressed as far as possible given that most of the information is
provided anonymously. At the same time, Zara and Inditex want to
express their support that their employees in Sweden are doing a
wonderful job in the open, creative and inclusive work environment.” By Scancomark.se Team What do you think about this
article or us? Please leave a comment. Thank you!
