Trade union strategies exchange of good practices NSZZ SOLIDARNOŚĆ Poland Vilnius, 6-7 June 2012

Members 2000 – XII. 2011

Department of development – National Commission Staff 17 Regions * 34 Apx. 34 regional coordinators & 30 organizers Koordynator Projektu HANDEL OCHRONA Commerce sector Security sector COORDINATOR AREA COORDINATOR A Pomorze Zachodnie - Koszaliński-Pobrzeże Koniński - Gorzowski Wielkopolska - Wielkopolska Płd. Branch Secretaries AREA COORDINATOR B Gdański - Słupski Toruńsko-włocławski - Bydgoski Warmińsko-Mazurski - Elbląski AREA COORDINATOR C Mazowsze - Podlaski Płocki - Ziemia Radomska AREA COORDINATOR D Zielonogórski - Jeleniogórski Dolny Śląsk - Śląsk Opolski Zagłębie Miedziowe AREA COORDINATOR E Ziemia Łódzka - Piotrkowski Częstochowski - Śląsko-Dąbrowski Podbeskidzie AREA COORDINATOR F Środkowowschodni - Ziemia Sandomierska Podkarpacie - Rzeszowski Małopolska - Świętokrzyski Ziemia Przemyska - Chełmski

Obstacles and challenges External anti-Trade Union Government - junk contracts - temporary contracts - employment agencies disfavour media - bad image of Trade Union labour market - unemployment - flexicurity - turnover Internal low leaders awereness low budget (for organizing) too much development strategies lack of union database aging Trade Union

General development strategy 1. Organizing New organizations – organizing campaigns Establishing contacts with employees (phone numbers, adress, e-mails) 1 on 1 mtgs. & group mtgs. Collecting problems Identyfing laeders Meetings and training leaders Leaders and organizing team organise workers around the problems (sign up union cards) – build-up the union Registration union and negotiations Agreement Promotion union parallel organizing camapign (discount cards „Grosik”) and publicize campaign in media 2. training Existing organizations Mostly by the training for leaders (training – how to organize workers) Next leaders recruit new members in company – monitoring actions by Region and N.C. 3. Marketing – promotion 4. Education

Good practice from commerce sector Company „S” Other union Agreement # shops # workers # members Tesco v 360 28000 2100 Carrefour - 300 18000 900 Biedronka 1800 37000 Real 54 13500 2300 Auchan 26 10000 160 Makro 31 7000 350 Kaufland 151 12000 1400 Lidl 430 10500 Praktiker V 24 250 Decathlon 20 70 JYSK 140 1700 180 E. Leclerc 3000 Intermarche 168 lack of info Stokrotka 170 8000 Ikea 8 4300 Bomi 200 Netto Union density apx. 6 %

Success story Workers organising campaign in Kaufland Poland Action time: February 2010 – nowadays 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, e-mails, 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 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

Elements of campaign 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

Success story Coca-Cola 4 factory units: Radzymin k. Warszawy, Łódź, Staniątki k. Krakowa, Tylicz 4 logistic centres – near factory units 30 distribution centres Step by step Organizing: Phone numbers Interesting of employees Leaflets Background: Any benefits package? What wages? How about duty roster? Elections: 14 september in Radzymin Success promotion – web, union weekly, IUF Negotiations

Stand for and solidarity letters Support from Coca-Cola employees from: - Spain - Croatia, - Russia, - Maroco, - Japan, - Tunesia, - Dominican Republic, - Canada and USA

News on www National Commission & IUF

Why employees don’t want to join?: New forms of employment with no chance to join Trade Unions More attention paid to individual action rather than collective Critical evaluation of Trade Union acitvity Low reliance to Trade Union activity or establishment No time (not interested to social activity after working hours)

How can we fix it? Possibility to protect workers’ rights Contact with many people and conncections Participation to conferences and seminars Collective bargaining, fringe benefits, industrial relations Right to strike

Specific ways to attract young workers in trade union Organizing campaigns in sectors, when mostly young people work (commerce, banks, services) Cooperation „S” and Independent Students Association – work on agreement going on Social campaigns and media – changing image Let’s raise the minimum wage for Poles 350 000 Poles signed the draft Act amending the National MW Large public campaign in combat against so-called „junk contracts of employment” to promote employment for an indefinite period It will be one of the priorities for Solidarność in the coming months Internet portal - „hyper exploitation” a map of exploitation in the stores is being created interactive service: „report a problem, suggest the solution, change the fate of workers” Tools, which are used by young people (internet tv - youtube, facebook, twitter) Demonstration and pickets are colourful and they take on the character of happening. Concerts, less bovvers and fairing tires The result: - increasing public confidence in „Solidarność” - according to the September CBOS research reported confidence in relation to 35% (July 2010-24%.), especially among young group

Department for Trade Union Development Thank you Department for Trade Union Development NSZZ Solidarność drz@solidarnosc.org.pl Lukasz Kopec l.kopec@solidarnosc.org.pl +48 517 300 542