The Sport-Scheck branch in Munich’s pedestrian zone is scheduled to close on June 15th. According to information from the SZ, around 110 employees are threatened with dismissal. “They want to get rid of everyone, including the severely disabled and works council members,” says an employee who will himself be affected by the layoffs. He reports an emotional rollercoaster ride and crying colleagues. The company itself did not want to comment on the layoffs when asked.
Dominik Datz, responsible for retail at Verdi, confirms the bitter news. “The company wants to have the layoffs finalized by the end of March,” says the union secretary. “We are doing everything we can to gain time and influence the decision.”
On Wednesday it was announced that the Italian sports retailer Cisalfa had been awarded the contract to take over the traditional Munich company. Sport-Scheck had to file for bankruptcy itself as a result of the bankruptcy of its Austrian owner Signa. Cisalfa intends to continue the brand; It is uncertain whether all of the more than 30 branches will remain open.
Economics officer Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU) is angry about Sport-Scheck’s decision. “You get the impression that they are using the bankruptcy to get rid of employees,” he says. “I think it’s unwise from the company’s perspective to lay off all employees across the board, and from the city’s perspective it’s not a friendly sign.” Baumgärtner points out that the city has thousands of open positions: “If Sport-Scheck no longer wants its employees: we need people.”
Sport-Scheck’s rental agreement in the Joseph-Pschorr-Haus was terminated by the owner at the end of the year. However, the company had announced that it would be looking for a new location in Munich. Union secretary Datz fears a double game: “With insolvency law you can dismiss people quickly and cheaply.” Once a new branch is found, the company apparently wants to rehire some of the employees on worse terms. According to Datz, the administrative headquarters with around 200 employees will remain in Munich, but there will “definitely” be staff savings there.
Sport-Scheck, founded in 1946 by Otto Scheck in Munich as a tailoring shop for winter equipment, belonged to the Hamburg mail order family Otto from 1991 onwards. The headquarters in Munich was considered an exclusive sports store for many years. However, the company has accumulated losses in recent years. The Austrian investor René Benko took over Sport-Scheck from the Otto Group in 2020. Neither the Otto Group nor Signa were able to resolve the causes of the economic difficulties.