Economy
Hungary gov't may take aim at retail chains again
The government came up with a plan for retail stores in March that would have been a package of measures targeting international retail chains. One of these would have been a mandatory staff expansion, with a “penalty" called “supply security contribution" - a new surcharge in effect - in case of non-compliance.
In April, however, the cabinet called the whole thing off, as not only multinational companies, but also domestic players objected to the proposals.
The government paper now reports that in the autumn the government may put on its agenda not only the wage settlements the companies have made this year but also a revision of staff sizes at retail units. Following consultations with the profession, a proposal could be tabled as soon as September, with a goal of mitigating the ever graver labour shortage.
The paper said it was the Independent Trade Union of Retail Employees (KDFSZ) has turned to János Lázár, the minister at the helm of the Prime Minister’s Office, asking his help in the name of 250,000 to 300,000 employees working in the stores to find a solution to the tension created by the shortage of labour in the sector. KDFSZ Chairman Csaba Bubenkó said retail consumption is expected to pick up in the autumn, and several large retail stores are already struggling with providing adequate services.
Bubenkó pointed out that while statistics show that people working in this area need to cope with a workload 40% larger than the average, and one person generally does the work of two at the tills, in the warehouses, and in the shopping area, the data also show that fewer people work in food stores this year than in 2016.Front page photo by MTI/ Bea Kallos
In April, however, the cabinet called the whole thing off, as not only multinational companies, but also domestic players objected to the proposals.
The government paper now reports that in the autumn the government may put on its agenda not only the wage settlements the companies have made this year but also a revision of staff sizes at retail units. Following consultations with the profession, a proposal could be tabled as soon as September, with a goal of mitigating the ever graver labour shortage.
The paper said it was the Independent Trade Union of Retail Employees (KDFSZ) has turned to János Lázár, the minister at the helm of the Prime Minister’s Office, asking his help in the name of 250,000 to 300,000 employees working in the stores to find a solution to the tension created by the shortage of labour in the sector. KDFSZ Chairman Csaba Bubenkó said retail consumption is expected to pick up in the autumn, and several large retail stores are already struggling with providing adequate services.
Bubenkó pointed out that while statistics show that people working in this area need to cope with a workload 40% larger than the average, and one person generally does the work of two at the tills, in the warehouses, and in the shopping area, the data also show that fewer people work in food stores this year than in 2016.Front page photo by MTI/ Bea Kallos
