On April 29, Jozef Kulinski, director of a psychiatric hospital in Bielsko Biała, resigned due to increasing scrutiny and pressure on him by workers activists. A recent investigation into allegations made by workers proved the workers to be right. This is the end of a long-term struggle with the director, who had refused to correct various violations of workers' rights. Besides this, he is suspected of breaking the law on trade unions, falsifying documents and of financial machinations regarding funds for renovating the hospital.

In 2008, after a state control, Kulinski was ordered to introduce payment regulations which comply with the Labor Code and pay money that was owed into the Workers Social Funds for years 2006-2007. (He hadn't made any payments in those years.) Then there was the fact that Kulinski did not recognize the specially difficult regime in which people worked, which would entitle them to earlier retirement. In various court cases, the court ruled on the side of the workers. But still no rectification of the problems by Kulinski.

Then the director tried to save money on work uniforms and pass costs onto workers. Again he was ordered to adhere to the law on such issues.

Workers demanded that the director lose his job, for failing to implement the orders of the Labour Inspectorate and the court, for his attitude towards the workers and suspicious activity.

The ZSP Health Workers Union reports that the director finally was forced to hand in his resignation.

„ After the resignation of the director, it is necessary to „clean up the mess”. The Starosta of Bielsko-Biała also is responsible since they did not react quickly enough to the complaints of the workers. As if they were promoting the idea that it is better to have a bad director than no director. We are hoping that the resignation of Jozef Kulinski is not only some part of „pre-election cleaning” - commented one of the members of ZSP Health Care Workers, which is active also in that hospital.

We all hope that the situation for the workers can finally be corrected in the hospital.