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On Feb. 25 ZSP held a picket at the OTTO office in Opole - a city known for the large number of temp agencies sending people to work in Holland. Potential workers were warned about the agency and we confronted OTTO with the facts concerning their policies and practices against foreign workers in Holland.

As this picket was aanounced, the firm prepared for our visit. Not only were a couple of police cars there, but also the police chief and some women from the firm whose task it was to try to convince us that there are no problems, except for the strange behaviour of the workers.

As a couple of people went into the office, unlike in Warsaw where the people acted panicked and tried to get away, we were approached and invited for "talks". Of course these "talks" proved to be nothing more than an arrogant PR monoloque from a teflon-faced automaton who claimed that there are no such problems like we describe and that the real problem is that the workers don't go to their offices and make these complaints themselves. Of course nothing can be further from the truth; OTTO workers who complain are continually blown off in such a manner. Furthermore this person claimed that the manager of OTTO already agreed to meet the workers the next day (a Saturday when the office is closed), however this claim surprised the workers involved, who have yet to be contacted by the firm.

Four workers whose cases have been well-documented have submitted demands for money they did not receive. And more workers are joining and will be added to the list.

The action was described in the main newspaper where the manager from Poland, instead of addressing the problems, took to anarchist baiting, claiming that if we were really workers, we would know that everything is fine at their firm.

However many people who work or have worked there tell a different story and passersby received information about the problems at the firm and were warned. After seeing the ease with which the company tries to play people for fools, we understand how the workers going to Holland can be easily misled.

OTTO WORKFORCE - WE HAVE OUR EYE ON YOU!