1. in Commerce Sector in Poland
Social Dialogue
and
organising workers
in Commerce Sector in Poland
Department of Development Union
National Commission of The Independent and Self-Governing
Trade Union „Solidarność”
Gdańsk June 2011

2. Union density NSZZ „S” in 1991 - 2010
year
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
VI 2010
# members 1
# organizations
16 709
15 367
12 437
13 691
13 271
12 822
12 668
12079
11570
10522
9 950
9 392
9 114
8 706
8 637
8 646
8 445
8 292

3. Approximate employment in the biggest chain of stores

4. Commerce sector in Poland nowadays
Company
„S”
Other union
Agreement
# shops
# workers
# members
Tesco v
360
30000
2700
Carrefour -
300
18000
900
Biedronka
1700
33000
Real 54
13500
2300
Auchan 20
10000
120
Makro 31
7000
350
Kaufland
142
12000
1100
Lidl
6000
Ikea 8
4300
Decathlon V
1400 70
E. Leclerc
3000
Union density ~ 4 %

5. Political decision level on organizinig – priority in daily life of trade union
Organization in company – it depends on power organization (membership). Strong union (mining, metallurgy) focus on negotiations. Weak organization (commerce, security sector) focus on organizing
Medium priority
Regions – decisions are very diversyfied. Every each of 34 Regions has development coordinator, but some Regions hasn’t yet union organizers (in total 40)
National Commission – Executive Board (Presidium) defines union development as priority. Department of Development Union has opereted since 1998 (staff of 16), but we need to fashion new model and proffesionalization

6. Implementation organizaing campaigns – target, who and how
Practical cases
Coca-Cola near Warsaw
Team: 2 coordinators from N.C., 2 organizers from Region Mazowsze, union reps from Coca-Cola, reps Food Workers Secretariat
Kaufland (all Poland)
Team: organizers from Regions + coordinators from N.C. + union reps from Kaufland
Regional companies
Organizers from Regions + coordinator from N.C.
Companies are sellected according to reaserch the market and development strategy. Multilevel organizing campaigns and this one depend on company size and their attitude to union.

7. New organizations – organizing campaigns
Building new organizations and organizing new members in existing organizations
New organizations – organizing campaigns
Establishing contacts with employees (phone numbers, adress, s)
Meetings with workers 1 on 1 and group
Collecting problems
Identyfing laeders
Meetings and training leaders
Leaders and organizing team organize 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
Existing organizations
Mostly by the training for leaders (training – how to organize workers)
Next leaders recruit new members in company – monitoring action by Region and N.C.
…however existing organizations in commerce sector – cooperation trade union structures: national, regional, commerce section and organization from companies

8. Specific ways to attrac 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
Tools, which are used by young people (internet tv, facebook, twitter)
Demonstration and pickets are colourful and they take on the character of happening. Concerts, less bovvers and fairing tires
Youth coordinator – conferences and work meetings

9. Major obstacles / challenges to organizing
Actual union actions around the priority - development
Concrete budget and personal decisions
Professionalization of development actions (analysis, education, organizing, trainings, promotion – everything support by marketing strategy)
Obstacles
Union priorities awareness of leaders
Posibilities budget and staff
Antyunion Goverment, Employers and media policy

10. Success story 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. The agreement

16. web site: Smiling Cashier

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

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

19. A signature on web site: one click
Click & Help

20. We share information about working condition on Facebook
Like it!

21. We encourage market/supermarket workers to join
Join us

22. 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)

23. conclusion contact www.solidarnosc.org.pl
Around the world
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