Exki scandal: sackings, allegations of violence and restaurant closures
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The four restaurants of the Exki chain in Luxembourg City, specialising in natural and fast food, are experiencing not only an economic crisis, but also a deep internal conflict. L'essentiel has learnt that a former employee of one of the establishments, named Leticia (name changed), spoke of toxic management and shocking incidents within the team.
"One of the team members kicked my colleague. We reported it to our superiors, but there were no sanctions," says Leticia, who was fired in early March.
The situation is exacerbated by economic difficulties: four employees have already been laid off and, according to a spokesperson for Happy Snacks, which owns Exki, "other layoffs cannot be ruled out." The official reason for the restaurant's closure at Kirchberg Shopping Centre is said to be the termination of the lease. The restaurant is expected to cease operations in 2025.
Happy Snacks also owns a Pizza Hut franchise in Luxembourg and, according to a company spokesperson, offered transfers of laid-off employees to another chain. However, as Leticia emphasises, she was not given such an opportunity. And for other employees, the conditions of the transfer proved unacceptable due to drastic changes in their work schedules.
According to Robert Fournieri, deputy general secretary of the LCGB union, the company recognised the management problems and promised to take action. However, Exki management has not yet commented publicly on the allegations of workplace violence.
The words of Leticia, who has worked in the catering industry for many years, are particularly disturbing: 'I have never experienced such a complete lack of feedback and support from management,' she says.
The situation reflects a broader problem - the vulnerability of workers in the catering industry, where often low wages are combined with high staff turnover and stressful working conditions.
If even the closure of one restaurant can be explained only by economic reasons, the statements of the employees are a worrying signal about the internal climate in the Exki chain, which in case of inaction can turn into a crisis of confidence in the brand.
