Today about 25-30 people took part in the occupation of the office of Groen Flex work
agency in Opole, Poland. The activists, demanded to talk to the boss and would not leave until he appeared. In the meanwhile, the office was closed for business. The boss man later showed up but only wanted to speak in private with one person. People refused and instead the whole discussion was filmed by TV crews. The guy was claiming all sort of contractatory things but also said that as soon as they get the hospital bill they will pay it. But at the same time he was saying it didn't depend on him, but on the Eurocontract people in Holland since the Polish registered entity was not the employer, only the Dutch one.

Eventually people left but promised that they would be back with a larger group of people if the demands were not met.

On the same day, members of AGA (Anarchist Group of Amsterdam) visited the workers' hotel where Groen Flex employees live, the shipyards where the accident took place and the office of Groen Flex. These actions were extremely helpful in getting contacts with some people, including a witness and another person who has a case against Groen Flex. AGA also helped in many ways prior to this action, including getting the labour inspectors on this case. (PS - The company didn't tell the inspectors the truth, but surely the truth will come out.) Everybody thanks them for their help and solidarity.

Last month we were informed of the case of a Polish worker who had major troubles with his employer, a temporary work agency called EUROCONTRACT, and the Polish firm Groenflex. Michalek was sent to work in Holland by Groenflex a work agency in Opole in December. He was supposed to be picking vegetables and had a contract for 78 weeks.

The contract he signed in Poland was only a preliminary one; when in Holland he had to sign a different one, with the firm EUROCONTRACT. Instead of working picking vegetables, Michalek was sent to work in a shipyard, without any special training. In a few days, he was sent to clean chemicals without protective clothing. He lost consciousness and was rushed to the cardiology department of the hospital.

Instead of taking any care of their employee, EUROCONTRACT simply terminated the contract with Michalek. He returned home to Poland. Then he found out that he owed the hospital almost 3000 euros.

ZSP held a contest for the title of "Worst employer of year 2008." Any person could nominate the employer. Many people wrote and told of breaking the workers rights in their workplace. Last week ZSP announced the winner... or maybe we should say, the losers.

First place went to firm Vobro. Some workers from this chocolate factory made nomination, as well as members of family of Krzysztof Pruszewicz, who died in factory and readers of CIA. ZSP promises to deliver prize personally to boss.

The Lionbridge Case is apparently being used as an example case study in corporate training these days. It was interesting from the legal point of it.

It is also mentioned in ITUC's annual Report of Violation of Trade Union Rights. A copy of the report is available here:

http://pracownik.net.pl/annual_report_of_violation_of_trade_union_rights...

Today was picket organized by ZSP at Nestle headquarters in Poland. The protest was in solidarity with Jacek Kotula, dismissed unionist from Alima-Gerber company, owned by Nestle Corporation. Kotula was illegally dismissed because of his fight for protecting rights in the Rzeszow baby food factory and because of his opinion that Nestle should buy fruit from local farmers at decent price. Kotula is fighting for return to his job. Monday is court case. Picketers went to Nestle corporation today as people were leaving work. There was talks about worker rights in Nestle, leaflets for employees. Police tried to stop a couple of people from going near the building but they moved too fast and once in front of building, they didn't want to make scene. Many guards locked doors of buildings and protected that only employees can go out, nobody in.

This is not first protest made against Nestle in Warsaw. They have bad record, the broke promises to some workers in other companies, they made big reductions to increase the profits and they don't tolerate the unionists who speak out. They made a big problems a few years ago at Goplana factory. We remember about Goplana, we know about the struggles of the workers and unions in Nestle in other countries.

On Friday January 9, members of FAU Switerzland held a solidarity picket at Nestle HQ in Vevey in solidarity with Jacek Kotula, who was illegally fired in September from Alima-Gerber in Poland. ZSP Warsaw will hold a similar picket at Nestle HQ in Poland on Friday January 16. These pickets come before Mr. Kotula's next day in labour court, on January 19 and are meant to show the company that we do not forget about his case, nor do we forget about the repression of unionists that is so common in the Nestle corporation.

We are asking people to send solidarity faxes to Nestle HQ. Below is a sample letter. For more facts about the case, see:
http://www.zsp.net.pl/node/103
http://www.multiwatch.ch/fileadmin/Nestle-Dossier/080930_IULletter_Polen...
ww.multiwatch.ch/fileadmin/Nestle-Dossier/080930_Hilferuf_Polen.pdf

Past problems with management: www.multiwatch.ch/fileadmin/Nachrichten/080722_Nestle_Polen.pdf

Anarchists made on 20 November picket held in Krakow in front of the offices of Civil Platform party. This party is leading government and making the health system privatization. A few dozens of people made the protest and proposal to make transformation of hospitals into the worker cooperatives. The members from Workers Initiative and Anarchist Federation from Krakow were and Bielsko-Biala workers from hospital and members of ZSP from Silesia.

In September this year, Jacek Kotula, the president of the workplace commission of the “Solidarity” trade-union in Alima Gerber S.A. in Rzeszow, Poland (currently owned by Nestle) has been dismissed on disciplinary grounds. This is one of many cases of contempt for workers’s rights by large corporations operating in Poland. It is not the first time that Nestle workers have to fight with Nestle in order to have their basic rights respected in various Nestle factories spread around the world. Russian workers are still in the process of struggling for the right to negotiate wages.

Below, we present an interview with Mr. Jacek, made by a member of the Union of Syndicalists of Poland (ZSP).

Members of ZSP Warsaw took part in the organizing of the People's Ball in Warsaw.

The anarchists' "people's ball" was held yesterday in Warsaw.

Nov.11, was Polish Independence Day. As the country becomes sick with more and more patriotism, the patriotic holidays are becoming more and more grandiose and grotesque. This holiday, the 90th anniversary of Polish independence, saw huge military parades, dozens of patriotic demonstrations and a presidential ball.

At a time when the government is preaching austerity to the people, when thousands of people are striking for better pay, when the government is attacking the health care and education systems, when early pensions and other benefits for working people are being done away with, and we are being told "we cannot afford this", the state wastes millions on shows of patriotism and attempts to show off its military might and present itself as a regional superpower. While millions suffer from lack of basic services, the president decided to throw a gala ball.

Fagor's not a Workplace but a Workcamp: Mondragon Capitalists Fuck Workers in Poland. Strike is Imminent

Fagor is a large appliance manufacturer owned by the Mondragon "Cooperative" capitalist enterprise. In Poland it cooperatives FagorMastercook in Wroclaw. Currently there are serious labour problems in FagorMastercook. Members of the Wrocław group of Union of Syndicalists (ZSP) went Friday to a protest in front of the factory.

The place has become quite militarized. On Friday the firm had over 200 armed security guards from the notorious firm Impel there to protect the factory. The place was surrounded by metal barricades and each worker going in was throughly searched. Some employees say that there is often heavy security and searches.