H&M announces the closure of 28 stores, dismissal of 588 workers in Spain

Swedish fashion multinational H&M Group has informed the main trade union organisations representing its workers in Spain of its intention to carry out a redundancy programme which will lead to the dismissal of 588 workers from the retailer’s main commercial chain.

The move is linked to plans by the popular clothing retailer to close up to a total of 28 shops throughout the country as part of an adjustment process on its commercial network.

Trade union organisations of Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) made the details of the restructuring process known, expressing their open opposition to the decision, which they called “overly aggressive”.

The duo further highlighted that the years of continuous cuts among H&M in the country had already led to various protests and strikes mid-2023, first from 20 to 26 June, and then from 1 to 8 July.

The latter had ultimately been called off due to management and unions reaching an agreement June 28. Yet while there had been a deal to improve working conditions, it has not prevented H&M management from outlining this most recent lay-off scheme for organisational, productive and economic reasons.

In a joint statement, CCOO and the UGT said they were firm in their positions of seeking to agree on a large reduction in both the impacted number of shops and the number of employees.

It is the same position the organisations said they would maintain in regards to the employment regulation process for workers at H&M’s central offices in Barcelona announced by the company last week, for which terms are to be negotiated this week.