Workers Organising Campaign in Commerce Sector in Poland Social Dialogue and organising members in Commerse Sector Achievements of trades unions in commerce in 2010 and challenges in March 2011, Turin Department of Development Union National Commission of The Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union „Solidarność ”

Working in large-format stores Working in large-format stores According to studies by Friedrich Ebert Foundation Advantages:  Employment contract  Financial stability  Social benefits  Promotion possibilities Disadvantages :  Salaries level  Form of employment  Workers abuse  Discrimination against educated people

Approximate employment in the biggest chain of stores

Commerce sector in Poland nowadays Company„S”Other unionAgreement# shops# workers# members Tesco vvv Carrefour v-v Biedronka vv Real vv Auchan v Makro v Kaufland v-v Lidl Ikea E. Leclerc Sum:

Workers organising campaign in Kaufland Polska Markety PLC Action time: February – December 2010  Why Kaufland?  Along with 5 other companies it owns majority shares in market of commerce sector, because of that it has impact on working conditions in the whole branch  Non-union workplace  Problems of workers  Aim:  To make an agreement concerning improvement of working conditions and possibility for Trade Union to have easy accsess to the workers

Elements of campaign  1st Phase: Choosing places for organising action time till 21st February 2010  Kaufland Stores in: in Chorzów (2), Ruda Śląska (1), Wrocław (2)  2nd Phase: Forming large-scale base action time from 22nd February 2010 to 7st May 2010  Conducts one-on-one organizing (collecting phone numbers, s, address)  1 on 1 mtgs  Identyfying problems  Identyfying leaders  Leaders mtgs  Signing people up [union cards] -  Trade union organisation on enterprise level was registered  3rd Phase: An escalation, social campaign action time 8.V. – 6.VI.2010  A petition concerning workplace issues and the free right to join union is delivered to the management  A petition is given by Regional Offices of Solidarność to store directors  Handing out leaflets to customers in front of the stores

Elements of campaign  4th Phase: Crisis creating action time 7.VI. – 25.VI.2010  Pickets in front of the stores in Wrocław, Ruda Śląska  5th Phase: Reaching the agreement  Negotation agreement - meeting protocol  July 2010: Kaufland company backed out of part of agreement concerning free union access to employees  Creating a new plan concernig Kaufland logistic center in Piotrków Trybunalski as a "place responsive" to workers protests because of chain delivery system.

Elements of campaign  6th Phase: Forming large-scale base action time 6.IX – 10.X.2010  Conducts one-on-one organizing, Workplace issues, Recruiting leaders, Signing people up [union declaration]  7th Phase: Escalation action time 11.X – 14.XI.2010  A petition concerning workplace issues and the free right to join union is delivered to the management  A petition is given by Regional Offices of Solidarność to store directors & logistic centre director  Handing out leaflets to customers in front of the stores

 8th Phase crisis creating action time 15.XI – 26.XII.2010  Pickets in front of the logistic centre in Piotrków Trybunalski  Pickets in front of the stores in Wrocław (2 stores), Piaseczno, Piła  Cash-desks blocked in Ruda Śląska store  Preparation for Berlin’s picket in cooperation with Ver.di  9th Phase Reaching the agreement  Negotation agreement - meeting protocol Elements of campaign

Theagreement The agreement

web site: Smiling Cashier

The solution: smiling cashier appeals to customers Run of the campaign

Issued appeal 5 problems: 1.low wages 2.Lack of interest in sincere dialogue 3.Bad treating (insults..) 4.Bad safety at work (too high workload) 5.Lack of facilitaties concerning combining of private and working life

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We encourage market/supermarket workers to join Join us

Planning the campaign

The main elelements of planning a campaign: Set the goals Identify the key employers & clients Set the possibilities of pressure (where to hit) Set your resources (what you have) Devise tactics Make the timescale, draw up the schedule and set up the plan Evaluate, measure of the successes Modify, modify, modify.Modify, modify, modify.

The main issues Identify the key companies –Identify what is in their area of interests –Identify who/what can be affected to them Identify your target –Work out tactic, message to receivers Create the crisis –Escalation –Extensive attack from many sides –Work out the strategy & tactic, which will impact on key players –Assess the way of reaction of employers and customers to your tactic

The plan of campaign Elements of campaign 1st Phase Research/ The choice of workplace (aims) 2nd Phase Forming a large scale base 3rd Phase An escalation/ Running social campaign 4th Phase Crisis creating 5th Phase Victory/ Agreement Research/ company analysis Workers organising Motivation of members/ action The legal aspects Supervisor Institution Media Politicians Community

Challenges Organizing workers – building power Union Ostensible dialogue → constructive conversation with employers Begining colective bargaining in some companies Employment stability (rotation %) Access to workers agreements Middle-term plan: Project – Biedronka, Carrefour Destination target – sectoral colective agreement (key companies)

conclusion we all have the same employers (multicompanies) in our countries If we want to win agreements for workers We need to cooperate to build up the union power contact