The company plans to outsource its warehouses into independent units as early as next week.
(Photo: imago images / Mike Schmidt)
Berlin The Gorillas express delivery service has been involved in disputes with its drivers in Berlin for months. Strikes, layoffs and quarrels over works council elections depress the image of the start-up. Gorillas is now planning a step that could cause new unrest.
A company spokesman told Handelsblatt on Friday that the company wants to sell its delivery warehouse to independent franchisees: “With the new model, Gorillas gives the teams in the respective warehouses more independence, freedom of design and flexibility and ensures that they make a positive contribution to their neighborhoods can afford. “
The company plans to outsource its warehouses into independent units as early as next week – but only in the strike stronghold of Berlin for the time being. “All classic entrepreneurial tasks will be transferred to the new operating units. This includes shift planning topics, training opportunities and attitudes, ”said the spokesman. Managers on site are then responsible for the company units.
In fact, the striking employees had criticized in recent weeks that shift schedules were often not designed as desired or that rest times were not adhered to. The central support for the drivers is difficult to reach. This should improve through decentralized responsibility. On the other hand, Gorillas could shift the responsibility for dealing with employees on to the franchisee.
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In addition, the project is likely to further disrupt the preparations for works council elections. Most recently, the “Spiegel” reported that gorillas were trying to stop works council elections in court, among other things on the grounds that it was unclear which operating unit the elections should apply to. Employees in outsourced units might no longer be entitled to vote.
In order to start a “pilot phase” for the franchise network, Gorillas are now looking for “people with an entrepreneurial spirit”, the company announced. The Berliners are not alone with the model. The great role model of founder Kagan Sümer, the Turkish provider Getir, has also announced that it wants to expand in Germany with a mixture of its own warehouses and franchisees.
Gorillas was valued at 1.8 billion euros by donors in the latest funding round in October. 860 million euros in fresh money flowed into the company. The Dax company Delivery Hero also got on board at the time.
More: Layoffs after strikes among gorillas are justified