Sad Christmas for Kika employees: Insolvency meets loyal workforce!

Sad Christmas for Kika employees: Insolvency meets loyal workforce!

The sad news for the Kika/Leiner employees spread across the entire workforce on Wednesday, December 6, 2024: the renovation of the company has failed, and bankruptcy is now official. This horror report came unexpectedly for many and plunges the employees into an existential crisis. Manfred Görtler, works council in Vienna North, explains that the company was a central part of their lives for many employees over three decades. "It is very difficult for us, our hope for an investor was real," says Görtler. The company was not just a job for you, but also part of your identity, as he puts it, and now the question remains: how does it go? today" reported about the encouraging words of a customer who despite the severe situation Employees Courage.

emotional reactions among employees

The reactions within the branches are emotionally stressful. An employee of a Vorarlberg Kika branch announces that she also learned the news about bankruptcy from the media and started talking to her colleagues. "The hope that it will continue is now there," she says, describing the feeling of uncomfortable and sadness, especially in the run -up to Christmas, a moment that is usually filled with joy. "It is a very sad Christmas present," she continues, adding that she and her colleagues continue to work despite the bad news and take care of the customers because they do not want to miss the status of the company. In an interview with Vol.at, she referred to how valuable the work environment was at KIKA and that the excitement about the closure causes more than fear To your own job.

In addition, it remains unclear which steps will now follow and whether the employees will receive their salaries in good time, since there are already discussions about possible delays. Despite the uncertainty, the workforce Resilient shows itself. The employees join together to motivate each other and not to lose hope of a possible turn. A grim race against time begins while looking for new job opportunities without knowing exactly when your last layer will be or how you can fulfill your financial duties in the future.