Majority unions CCOO and UGT have called off a planned group strike at H&M after reaching a preliminary agreement with the Swedish fashion retailer to improve working conditions and wages for around 4,000 employees across its Spain operations.
CCOO described the agreement as a result of two consecutive discussions at the company’s headquarters. The agreement covers elements related to mediation and arbitration processes, a revised remuneration policy, and better store-level resources. The pact led the unions to suspend a 24-hour strike scheduled for Saturday, July 1, at H&M locations, including its brands H&M, COS, Other Stories, and Weekday, across stores in Spain.
In the weeks ahead, the unions planned additional action, including two more 24-hour strike days on June 22 and June 26, plus partial stoppages during peak sales periods. These actions previously resulted in more than 80 percent of H&M stores nationwide being temporarily closed in Spain during the campaign.
According to the terms outlined by CCOO, the deal introduces monthly sales incentives for all store roles, capped at 50 euros, contingent upon effective availability and sustained through 2025. This creates a performance-linked component aimed at aligning staff input with customer demand and store productivity.
The agreement also guarantees a minimum extra responsibility payment per job category within the group, ranging from 1,800 to 3,600 euros gross annually, disbursed in 14 installments and calculated on a daily basis. In addition, a separate gross salary increase of 1,000 euros is allocated for sales consultants who work full-time, prorated to the actual days worked.
On the staffing front, the deal calls for increased store resources and the consolidation or extension of overtime in recent months. This will be reflected in hiring actions that add up to 60 part-time positions, with overall staffing capacity rising across 91 stores, thereby strengthening store operations and customer service capacity.
As part of the negotiations, the unions also secured concessions from the company regarding sick leave payments. The voluntary concessions include a withdrawal of a previously proposed reduction in sick leave compensation, preserving workers’ benefits while supporting operational flexibility for store teams.
Overall, the agreement signals a shift toward clearer incentive schemes, enhanced staffing support, and more predictable compensation structures for store personnel across H&M and its affiliated brands in Spain. The parties intend to monitor the implementation closely, with additional discussions planned to address any future operational changes and to ensure continued alignment with labor standards and market conditions. The outcome is being tracked by national labor representatives and the unions, who remain focused on sustaining improvements in wage levels, scheduling fairness, and the overall working environment for frontline staff. Details of the agreement and its implications are being documented for member communications and ongoing labor relations oversight. [Attribution: union statements and company briefing]