Naples – Not all that glitters under the "Sole" banner is gold. Despite the explosive growth that has led AP Commerciale srl—owner of the Sole 365 and La Speseria brands—to surpass the milestone of 100 stores in Campania and a workforce of over 5.000, heavy clouds are gathering over workers' rights.
The trade unions Filcams CGIL, Fisascat CISL, and Uiltucs UIL have in fact broken the deadlock, notifying the company of a formal notice and formal notice of default.
The breakdown of negotiations and the accusation of inequality
The casus belli dates back to January 20, when the unions signed a harsh statement. At the heart of the dispute is the failure to implement the July 19, 2022, agreements.
According to worker representatives, the company had created a "clear inequality in regulatory treatment", effectively creating first-class and second-class employees who performed the same tasks.
A situation that, according to the complaint, particularly affects the most vulnerable groups in the sector: young people and women, often classified with contractual levels that do not correspond to their actual responsibilities.
The paradox of numbers: record turnover and stagnant wages
The contrast between the company's financial health and employee discontent is stark. AP Commerciale closed 2024 with a turnover of over one billion euros, consolidating its position as a leader in the Campania large-scale retail trade (GDO) sector. Yet, behind the staggering growth figures lies a situation of underemployment that the unions are no longer willing to tolerate.
A multi-million euro dispute
If the dispute were to reach court, the economic impact for the company would be significant. Assuming the failure to recognize two job classification levels (approximately €60 per employee per level) for half of the total workforce—or 2.500 employees—the amount the company would have to recover would be approximately €4,2 million annually, calculated over 14 months' salary.
The unions are demanding a "clear, concrete, and decisive" response as soon as possible. In the absence of any signals from the owners, the battle will shift to two fronts: street protests and legal action to recover wages due starting July 1, 2024, for workers classified in levels 5 and 6.
Towards total confrontation
The future of social peace at Sole 365 stores now hangs by a thread. If AP Commerciale management doesn't open to a review of job descriptions, Campania will face one of the largest labor disputes in recent years in the retail sector, jeopardizing the image of a brand that had made "peaceful shopping" its forte.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
The situation seems very complicated and difficult for workers. It's strange to see such high turnover but low wages; this isn't right. I hope the parties can find a solution before going to court.