Pracujesz na umowie śmieciowej? Możemy pomóc!
During the last week, pickets were organized in the UK against Marks and Spencer, for their planned use of free labour through the Workfare program. We decided to make this known in Poland as well, as Marks and Spencer has a presence in this country.
We published information about the situation on the internet, with reference to past articles about Workfare. In addition, posters went up and leaflets were given out at some Marks and Spencer shops.
On July 13, we held an informational action in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw against the elimination of the 8-hour working day and in favor of an indefinite general strike. We made speeches about the situation of the working class and the need to fight and had many discussions with passersby. Many tourists also stopped and people from Argentina, France and Russia, who were shocked to learn want is happening in Poland, offered their expressions of support.
During the action we gave out different leaflets, calling for an indefinite general strike and also explaining the meaning and ramifications of the amendments.
A few days ago the three largest unions in Poland called for mass action on September 11, but refrained from calling it a strike. However, they are threatening this on the one hand and on the other, calling on the President to veto the amendments. The members of Solidarity have already voted for a strike in a national referendum, but the other two main unions have not set a referendum yet.
ZSP has been calling for more action against the attacks of the government and business on the working class for years and is agitating actively for strike action. This agitation has some good support amongst rank and file union members and even some unions, which put our appeal on their web pages. We are also calling on workers from outside this unions to organize and workers from these unions to act regardless of what their union leadership decides.
On July 10 a solidarity action was held outside the Brazilian Embassy in Warsaw in support of Brazilian social protests and comrades from COB-AIT who are facing repression. The comrades were arrested during one protest and were due in court at the time of the protest.
The action was also held on the eve of a general strike in Brazil. We hope that workers will continue to mobilize and do so outside the main unions.
Down with the state and capital!
Activists from the Anarchist Federation, ZSP and others picketed in Krakow against the liquidation of the 8 hour day. They marched around the area of downtown Krakow giving out flyers, newspapers and informing people about the changes to the Labour Code that allow bosses to make people work 13 hours a day, 6 days a week.
Thanks to the people of the Anarchist Federation for their good work!
On the photo, people read the ZSP newspaper, "Zapłata".
On July 1, members of ZSP and FEMEN made a solidarity action and protest in front of the Brazilian Embassy in Warsaw. With this action we wanted to show our solidarity to the protesters and also to respond to the call of our comrades from COB-AIT to protest the repression going on. Members of COB-AIT are amongst those facing charges for protesting.
In a letter to the Embassy, we demanded an end to the repressive and anti-social actions of the state. To local people we pointed out that the people in Brazil are doing what we failed to do - to get to the streets and fight against issues such as gentrification, high prices and squandering of public money.
Solidarity with those that are fighting!
We will go back to the Embassy with a bigger protest next week.
On June 25 a protest was held in Wroclaw against the changes to the Labor Code which effectively eliminate the 8-hour working day and introduce a number of negative provisions. The protest started at the Vojevodship office and marched to the headquarters of the Civil Platform ruling party. Besides protesting against these changes, people spoke out against other problems of workers, such as the problems of precarity and the problems of the unemployed. There was also criticism of government plans to deny benefits to unemployed people who do not accept any job offered to them.
This demonstration is part of a series of protests organized and planned by the ZSP in reaction to the newly adopted changes. Members of "Tenants Action" also supported the protest.
On June 22 ZSP organized a picket in Katowice to protest against the changes in the Labor Code and Act on Trade Unions which effectively eliminate the guaranteed 8-hour work day. Speeches were made informing people of what the changes in the Labour Code actually mean and many leaflets were distributed, with many people stopping to talk and show their support.
During the picket, some told about the situation in their branches. A psychologist spoke about some of the difficulties some workers in that profession are having and a miner said that it shows how widespread the problems are and that they touch all sorts of workers, not just in areas like production or physical work. A construction worker who was passing by also wanted to speak and find out if any comrades worked in his branch. The picket attracted the attention of a wide range of people.
Despite the rain on and off, the picket lasted a couple of hours and came in contact with a lot of people.
More protests are planned around this issue in different cities in Poland.
On June 21 the case against Roche Polska continued. Our fellow worker is fighting against the corporate giant and their big gun lawyers to get his employment status recognized. The company had used outside entrepeneurs as a way of getting labor without having to give them any benefits employees are entitled to, such as paid vacation or sick leave and to avoid any responsibility; such workers are easily disposed of without the normal procedures.
At this hearing, witnesses from Roche middle management came and held the company line. One "did not recall" any daily meetings which such workers say they were required to be at in the company. The company claims that the so-called "non-employed workers" did not have to even come into work if they didn't want and in their lawsuit claim they have no idea why the fellow worker came in from 9-5 every day. But the answer is the contract given by Roche to the outside agent requiring that the worker come at these hours. A second witness gave testimony to the workers' conditions for the time he was a so-called "non-employed" worker, but as our colleague pointed out, he had never even met her in that period. So he wondered how she could speak about his specific conditions.
Observers of the case assessed that the managers' testimony was pretty much as expected and note the contradictions between what the workers claim and said in court and the line of the firm.
On June 20 we organized a demonstration in Warsaw in defence of the rights of workers and the unemployed. The demonstration was originally supposed to be just in defence of the unemployed. The government wants to introduce rules that would take unemployed people off the register, deny them benefits and even health care if they turn down any job offer. In such a way, they will drive down wages and promote shit jobs as employers will think that nobody will be able to refuse them. However, on June 13, the Sejm approved changes to the Labor Code and the Act on Trade Unions that in effect abolish the 8-hour day. (More information here: http://www.iwa-ait.org/content/poland-no-more-guarantees-working-hours) So naturally we had to protest against this issue as well.
Many people stopped to listen to some speeches, complaining that there is no good information in the media on this topic. We explained how the new rules will work and the fact that employers will be able to give workers schedules of even 12 hours a day, for 6 days a week, and then put them on leave for almost 6 months, paying them minimum wage during that time. People spoke about how hard workers struggled for the 8-hour day and how easy it was to lose it, without much of the society even being aware.
As part of IWA International Days of Action against dismissals and unemployment, we reminded workers of Capgemini Poland about the struggle of their Spanish colleagues against a redunancy plan which will affect hundreds of workers. Posters were hung around the office and leaflets given out to the people in the office building and passersby. We also reminded workers of the fact that they can be treated as disposable by companies like this and that instead of competing against each other in the race to the bottom, we need to organize ourselves and build global solidarity.
Solidarity with those in struggle in Capgemini!
Send an e-mail protest and support the workers against downsizing: http://www.zsp.net.pl/support-capgemini-workers-spain-against-downsizing
Report on a recent day of action: http://www.zsp.net.pl/cnt-ait-solidarity-capgemini-workers
