Gdańsk June 2011Gdańsk June 2011

Department of Development UnionDepartment of Development UnionNational Commission of The Independent and Self-GoverningNational Commission of The Independent and Self-GoverningTrade Union „SolidarnośćTrade Union „Solidarność””

Social DialogueSocial Dialogue and and

organising workers organising workers in Commerce Sector in in Commerce Sector in

PolandPoland

0

500 000

1 000 000

1 500 000

2 000 000

2 500 000

# members

years

year 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009VI

2010

# members

2 286 720

1 634 309

1634 309

1 422 764

1 312 050

1 233 209

1 184 959

1 113 440

1 075 045

973 572

910 398

800 906

759 336

730 979

721 856

690 042

685 329

679 975

667 572

648 868

# organizations  

16 709

15 367

12 437

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

Union density NSZZ „S” in 1991 - 2010

JMD; 33000

Tesco; 30000

Carrefour; 27000

Metro AG; 29000

Auchan; 10000

Schwarz Gruppe; 17000

Approximate employment in the biggest chain of stores

Commerce sector in Poland nowadaysCommerce sector in Poland nowadaysCompany „S” Other union Agreement # shops # workers # members

Tesco v v v 400 30000 2700Carrefour v - v 350 27000 900Biedronka v v 1700 33000 900Real v v 60 13500 2300Auchan v - 20 10000 120Makro v - 31 9000 350Kaufland v - v 145 12000 1100Lidl - - 300 6000 -Ikea - - 8 4300 -Decathlon V - 20 1400 70E. Leclerc - - 20 3000 -

Sum: 3064 159200 8640

Union density ~ 6 %

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)

Medium priority

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

Medium priority

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.

Building new organizations and organizing new members in existing organizations

New organizations – organizing campaigns

Establishing contacts with employees (phone numbers, adress, e-mails) 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

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

Major obstacles / challenges to organizing

Obstacles

Union priorities awareness of leaders

Posibilities budget and staff

Antyunion Goverment, Employers and media policy

Challenges

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)

Success storySuccess storyWorkers organising campaignWorkers organising campaign

in Kaufland Polska Markety PLCin Kaufland Polska Markety PLCAction time: February – December 2010Action 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 campaignElements 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 baseaction 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 campaignaction 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 campaignElements 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 campaignElements 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: Escalationaction 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 creatingaction 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 campaignElements of campaign

TheThe agreementagreement

web site: Smiling Cashierweb site: Smiling Cashier27.05.2010

The solution:The solution:smiling cashier appeals to customerssmiling cashier appeals to customers

Run of the campaign

Issued appealIssued appeal5 problems: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

A signature on web site: one clickA signature on web site: one click

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ChallengesChallenges

• Organizing workers – building power Union• Ostensible dialogue → constructive conversation

with employers• Begining colective bargaining in some

companies• Employment stability (rotation 25-100%)• Access to workers agreements• Middle-term plan: Project – Biedronka, Carrefour• Destination target – sectoral colective

agreement (key companies)

conclusionIn Europe

we all have the same employers (multicompanies) in our countries

If we want to win agreements for workersWe need to cooperate to build up the union power

contact• www.solidarnosc.org.pl• kacper_stachowski@solidarnosc.org.pl