Gucci workers strike

The world of fashion also has a second, less creative but more media-oriented side. The latest information indicates that several dozen employees of a renowned fashion house in the country’s capital have begun a protest in response to the company’s controversial decision to move its design office to Milan. This decision, announced just a month ago, provoked stormy reactions, and finally Gucci workers strike.

The brand, part of the Kering luxury empire, plans to move as many as 153 of its 219 employees to Milan. This means moving almost 500 kilometres north of my current workplace. The striking workers have therefore decided to express their opposition to this decision, claiming that it was made without solid justification and fearing that the real goal is to reduce staff. What is the truth?

Matters swept under the carpet

Gucci, one of the most recognizable fashion houses in the world, has experienced unrest among its employees on numerous occasions. Over the years, employee protests have had various causes . They mainly concerned working conditions, wages, social conditions, as well as issues related to company policy. Employees, as in other fashion industries, expressed their dissatisfaction with excessive workload, lack of adequate remuneration and inappropriate treatment by their employer.

Some of the strikes were related to the takeover of the brand by Kering, which contributed to changes in the company’s policy and development strategy. This could have caused anxiety among employees who began to fear changes in working conditions and the approach to employment.

What is the brand’s stance this time?

The regional office of the CGIL trade union has expressed strong opposition to Gucci’s decision. They suggest that the lack of objective justifications for moving the design office raises serious doubts about the company’s intentions. Such accusations are becoming more frequent and are undoubtedly not a good sign for the brand’s image, especially from this business side. “The statement that the transfer does not involve staff reduction does not convince us” – commented the union spokesman.

Gucci’s official statement was also not long in coming. Their spokesperson firmly emphasized that the main goal of moving the office to Milan was to enable a more fluid collaboration between the creative director and the key teams already present in the city. He emphasized that such the change aims to maximize the company’s internal interactions and synergy, which will contribute to the further development of the brand. Employees, however, have a different opinion.

Gucci Workers Strike and Unprofitable Farce

The decision to relocate Gucci’s design office is causing a wave of discontent, especially after the recent departure of its creative director, Alessandro Michele, last year. Kering, the corporation that owns the fashion house, is making changes at the highest levels of brand management to try to restore sales momentum for its flagship brand.

However, this does not change the fact that striking Gucci employees in Rome are expressing a strong opposition to the company’s decision. It is not surprising, they are trying to defend their jobs and question the sense and consequences of moving the design office to Milan. Such a lack of transparency from people at the higher levels of the brand seems unusual for a brand of this size. The question is, however, how quickly will the Gucci employees’ strike end and will it bring the desired results?