Pracujesz na umowie śmieciowej? Możemy pomóc!
The campaign against the abuse of temporary labour at OTTO Workforce continues! Maciej, a worker who was injured lifting things at work, is still on sick leave and his fate is unclear. After actions taken by Priama akcia and ZSP at OTTO offices and an email / fax campaign, OTTO agreed to pay Maciej his sick leave pay and indeed he received a payment last week. But his situation is far from resolved.
On April 27, ZSP visited the OTTO Office in Warsaw to remind them of the case of Maciej, who has not been paid sick leave and was being jerked around by the company. We have been campaigning for the company to pay and they even promised to do so... only still no money yet. At the office we saw the manager for Central Europe, who just happened to be in Warsaw that day, so we went to talk to him and give him a red card for OTTO, just like OTTO gives red cards to workers who they want to fine.
After some discussion with the office in Holland, the manager told us (and the radio) that they would send money to Maciej on May 3 and would pay him until the end of his contract. His contract was temporary and would end in June. We would like OTTO to offer him new work at the end of the contract that will not cause damage to his health.
We are keeping an eye on the situation and hope the payment will be made, or else we will be back with a protest.
April 27 the ZSP Wroclaw organized an informational picket outside the OTTO office on Komandorska St. in connection with the situation of Maciejm who was not paid sick leave (over 1000 euro per month since March). He was seriously injured and requires medical care and has no money.
Members of ZSP gave out leaflets to potential workers informing them about the practices of OTTO and about their rights in Poland and in Holland. One person said that they should be taken care of with tanks and others started talking about similar practices in other temporary work agencies.
OTTO Workforce Screws Injured Worker
The campaign to improve the treatment of people working for OTTO temporary agency continues. M. was working loading in Belgium where he got an industrial related injury (a hernia). While on leave in Poland, he was told by doctors that he needed to take sick leave but he was essentially dismissed (in temporary agencies this means the company says „we have no more work for you”). He is left with medical bills, has no insurance coverage in Poland and the company is giving him the run-around, refusing to deal with his case.
Protests against capitalism and its logic!
In defense of labour and tenants, against anti-social policies, war and the logic of the security street!
On the occasion of the Visegrad Summit and the visit of Obama to Poland, ZSP calls grassroots organizations and all those who are fed up to get out in the streets and protest!
Main protest: Saturday, May 29 at 12:00 Plac Trzech Krzyży
Against Capitalism and the State, Long Live International Solidarity
May 16-23 in Warsaw, we are organizing events against the borders, in favour of international solidarity. We aim to spread the idea that the existence of borders and the logic of nationalism keeps us divided. As workers much is determined by where we live, or where we come from. The system is forcing us to compete, instead of unite in our struggle.
The events planned include film screenings, discussions, meetings, lectures, streets meetings and a demonstration at the headquarters of Frontex, the EU border agency.
How OTTO Treats Injured Workers
New actions are planned at OTTO Workforce. In addition to previous demands against abuse of temporary workers, we raise the question of the treatment of injured workers. M., who was working in Holland loading goods, sustained a serious injury related to this work. He has been on sick leave. The company has not paid him any money during this time and has said that it will not have any other work for him.
The worker is not able to get any answers from the company, which also refuses to send him anything in writing or even give him the emails of people responsible for claims.
OTTO has claimed to journalists investigating their treatment of workers that claims that they do not always pay for sick leave are unfounded. Yet at the same time, this man, injured on the job, gets absolutely no financial support, is told there is no different work for him and is brushed off when trying to ask about his payment from the company! This is totally unacceptable! No tolerance for labour abuse! OTTO workforce – pay this sick leave and appropriate compensation! New jobs for workers who cannot perform their old ones due to industrial accidents! Better safety and work conditions on the job now!
Some payments have been made to OTTO workers for money they were owed. However, the problems still remain. Workers may be fined, housing conditions are poor. We ask people to send an email to OTTO either directly to the CEO or using this form.
To: Fran van Gool
fvangool@ottoworkforce.eu
Model letter (please change or add what you want):
OTTO WORKFORCE! STOP FINING AND HARASSING WORKERS! PAY WHAT YOU OWE!
STOP THE EXPLOITATION OF FOREIGNER WORKERS AND STOP IGNORING THEIR COMPLAINTS!
OTTO has paid some compensation to 4 Polish workers who fought back against the company's practices in the Netherlands.
Today members of ZSP were supposed to have a meeting at OTTO's Polish headquarters but yesterday the CEO of the company decided to meet with one cheated worker and a representative of the Vrije Bond at their headquarters in Holland. This was the second meeting this week. At the first one, on Monday, the boss denied many of the problems at the agency. However yesterday he wanted to meet again. He decided to make payments to the 3 workers whose claims had not yet been met. (A 4th worker received most of the money he was owed some days ago.)
Members of the ZSP will have a meeting next week to discuss problems with the fining system and other matters and are organizing some informational events in different cities in Poland where many workers are recruited.
Given the vast destruction wrought by the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 and given the threat of a nuclear disaster caused by the destroyed nuclear power plant in Fukushima I, the FAU-IWA launched a solidarity and aid fund for precarious workers in Japan - the "Freeters Solidarity Fund". As an anarcho-syndicalist grassroots trade union, our first concern is the many precarious workers (Freeters), who were excluded even before the disaster, often forced into appalling working and living conditions. It calls for donations for the relief and solidarity fund whose resources are to be used in close consultation with the "Freeters Zenpan Roso," a self-organized group of precarious workers in Japan. Donations, can be sent to the following account: FAU, FAU, Konto 96152201, Postbank Hamburg (BLZ 200 100 20) under the codeword "Freeters". Every little contribution is welcome as an expression of living class solidarity.
