Message in a bottle in Düsseldorf: More than 200 jobs are at risk

The surprising news of the closure of the message-in-a-bottle warehouse in Düsseldorf caused an uproar among the workers and the union of the restaurants-pleasure-food (NGG). The managing director of NGG Düsseldorf-Wuppertal, Zayde Torun, is very critical of the company’s actions. “The manner in which the endings were told is a question of style. “The management has failed,” explained Torun. The workers
we found out about the impending closure via email, at the same time as the public. “This is not how you treat people who do hard work every day,” Torun continued.

The NGG now wants transparency from messages in a bottle and requires a view of the company’s balance sheets. Management says there are 200 employees
The dismissal has an impact, and the works council assumes that many more than 200 people will be affected. “If the company was working with false numbers, it would be false to the public,” Torun warns.

The reasons for their closure are lack of parking spaces, decentralized location and poor public transport links. The NGG, on the other hand, believes that these arguments are specific. “The management was definitely aware of the parking situation when they were choosing the location,” Torun criticizes. In addition, his competitor Amazon has successfully started operations at the same location, which further questions the logic of the message in bottle management.

The closure plans come at a time when the lease agreement for the Düsseldorf warehouse runs until March 2028. This fact raises additional questions and makes the GNG question the severity of the company’s management. “The decision is full of contradictions,” said Torun. “We are not prepared to accept the dismissal of the entire workforce.”

The NGG and the works council announced that they will do everything they can to avoid the closure. Other measures will be discussed at a working meeting on November 8. “Plan A is to maintain the warehouse, plan B will not please the management,” said Torun. If there is a settlement of interests or a social plan, the GNG will do everything in its power to achieve the best conditions for the affected workers.

Message in a Bottle is part of the Dr. Oetker Group, and the closing plans could seriously damage the company’s image. The works council and the NGG want to set an example, not only for the employees of Düsseldorf, but also for other company locations without a works council.

The atmosphere in the camp is tense but controversial. The employees show solidarity with the colleagues who are affected and show a lack of understanding about the company’s decisions over the past months. “We are ready to fight against closure,” said a member of the works council.

In the last few months, Bottle Mail has already reduced the staff significantly, putting the layoffs close to a big stop. Workers now fear more about their future because management has never openly communicated about the closure plans.

The coming days will be crucial in clarifying whether and how the closure of the Düsseldorf warehouse can still be stopped. The GNG and its staff are determined to protect themselves from the shutdown.