1. The project: POOLSHOOGTE
(An ACV approach to workers from new EU Member States)
Nathalie Diesbecq

2. Explanation of the Name of the project
Poolshoogte` is also the title of newspaper in Poland especially addressed to Dutch(speaking) people working and living in Warsaw. (to keep in contact with their home countries
Means literally “Latitude”
Means in general: to look what is going on, to investigate circumstances.

3. Target group The new migrants have in Belgium:
a status as (bogus) self-employed workers –
a status as a posted worker especially in construction, meat sector, transport sector, metal sector.
Undeclared or illegal work within same sectors.
A status as an employed person

4. migrant workers-Description
Number of eastern European workers grew from 2004 to end of 2008
(return after crisis?)
the recruitment is happening in Belgium Poland, Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain and Ireland
Migrants are “happy in their situation of exploitation.

5. Problems do not have sufficient knowledge of the Dutch or French
do not always have the necessary technical skills
Are not aware of the existence of the collective agreements
are totally dependent of the local /original employment “mediator”
Do not have any idea of the role of the trade union
Do have housing problems.

6. How does our project works?
Started in spring 2005
We developed information tools in Polish concerning wage and labor conditions applicable in the target sectors. (flyers, brochures etc. )
We were relying on Polish volunteers
We organized information sessions about every necessary information, the role of the trade union, work permits in accordance to Belgian law, residence permits
In cooperation Polish society in Belgium

7. How was this possible?
We managed to create a climate of trust between these polish workers and trade union workers and volunteers;
We did negotiate with some of the concerned employers, but not always easy to identify whom we were dealing with.
About 30 cases have been introduced before court

8. Results ?
Up till now more than 5000 polish workers became member of our union
The posted workers are not easy to convince, mostly they don’t join the union.
Since 2009 also polish women (cleaning) do become member, because they are since then legally employed trough a system called ‘dienstencheques”, translated ‘ services checks or vougers ” which offer the possibility tot employ a housecleaner on legal basis, but at a very interesting / economic price for the consumers.

9. Other importants items & facts
ACV now employs two polish advisers
ACV developed a “welcome guide”, in 14 languages: French, English, German, Russian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Polish, Serb, Croatian, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovak, Turkish, Moroccan.
We also were / are spreading information true the network our polish colleagues (trough their websites) (Solidarnosc en Budowlani )
We also use local – Polish newspapers in Belgium. (GAZETKA, NOWINKI, PoPolsku