Uncertain future of Herren-Globus and Schild sparks unease among employees
A drop in clothes sales and the rise of Internet shopping has prompted a Basel city centre company to re-examine the future of its brands and shop locations.
Herren Globus, with its branches in Freie Strasse and the Stücki shopping centre, and Mode Schild in Freie Strasse, both belong to Migros. However, the company is set to evaluate its city centre branches, sparking uncertainty among employees in Basel about their future.
The Freie Strasse is the shopping mile of Basel, but it could lose further shops next spring and as a result, lose its profile - barfi.ch has reported on this. In the Swiss textile market, the turnover has shrunk by 2,5 billion from 11 to 8,5 billion Swiss francs. This has also been felt by Schild Mode in the middle-ranged price sector. The reasons for the drop in sales are quickly at hand: The strong Swiss Frank leading to shopping tourism, and the blossoming of rival online companies.
Migros has declined to say what exactly this may mean for its clothing shop locations in Basel. Therefore, the uncertainty among the employees in Basel is growing by the day. Until they know about the future, a lot of water can flow down the Rhine. First, the owner told barfi.ch that the market potential of all locations would be carefully evaluated. This can take some time, they said.
Due to location factors such as profitability, customers' demand, type of product, location, and possibilities for development, an overall assessment is being carried out, a spokesperson for Globus said on request. Following the assessment, a decision will be made and its format will be implemented - such as introducing a hospitality supplement, or considering whether the branch will be closed. The management at Globus emphasises at the same time that its "prominent presence" in Basel is important and "will be here in the future".
Development of online-business
In order to enable customers to buy products online, this side of the business would be developed, as well as to secure a competitive position in the contested clothes market, the spokesperson said. Customers should benefit from a network and a unique shopping experience with a comprehensive premium-assortment with high standard consultations.
It is evident that any new position cannot be achieved without the loss of jobs. In the next 18 months, around 80 out of 400 jobs will be lost in the headquarter in Spreitenbach. This should be made socially compatible by natural fluctuation, early retirement, and job transfers within the Migros group.
Initiative for lower parking fees in Basel-Stadt
Parking fees in Basel-Stadt should be adapted to tariffs just across the border and abolished completely at night and Sundays in the streets on public ground. These are the demands of an initiative launched on Wednesday by companies in Basel's city centre.
According to a release of the initiators, compared to competing destinations - border towns in Germany and France - Basel has "extremely high" parking fees. Basel should become more attractive for visitors when lowering the tariffs, they claim.
The formulated initiative "Stadtbelebung durch vernünftige Parkgebühren" (Vitalised city through sensible parking fees) wants to complement and change the cantonal environmental protection bill, e.g. by making parking spaces in streets on public ground free between 8am and 8pm.
The initiative also wants to set rules where the canton can guarantee "consumer- and visitor-friendly" parking fees in car parks with a majority share by the public or parking spaces on public ground.
The tariffs should not exceed the tariffs on comparable car parks in Freiburg im Breisgau, Lörrach, Weil, Mulhouse, and Saint-Louis. Details should be separately regulated.
According to the release, the initiative committee consists of business people from the city centre. The initiative is mostly supported by centre-right politicians, and representatives of associations such as Touring Club TCS and the automobile club ACS. In the next 18 months, 3,000 signatures must be collected.
Prosecution of Basel cantonal police employee
A female employee of the cantonal police of Basel-Stadt is under prosecution on the basis of suspected disclosure of official secrets and inciting another person to make disclosures. The woman has been temporarily arrested along with another citizen.
The two people were arrested last Friday on the basis of a report by the police management, the prosecution of Basel-Stadt said, confirming a report in the newspaper bz basel on Wednesday. According to the newspaper, the woman is employed as a security assistant.
The criminal investigation centres on the suspected disclosure and inciting another to disclose an official secret. The suspect had been released from work, the Justice and Security Department said on request. There was no further information available on the part of the authorities.
This investigation is not connected to other investigations against employees of the cantonal police, the police have confirmed. Since April, the prosecution has been investigating spying allegations against a member of the police force, who worked in security. Before then, there were ongoing investigations about pro-Erdogan-activities as well as investigations into searches on databases allegedly conducted by a security assistant, which "with high probability had not been conducted in the context of his service".