1. Organising workers and Social Dialogue in commerce sector in Poland
Department of Development Union
National Commission of The Independent and Self-Governing
Trade Union „Solidarność”
Sofia November 2011

2. Union density NSZZ „S” 1991 - 2011
year
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
VI. 2011
# members 1
# organizations
16 709
15 367
12 437
13 691
13 271
12 822
12 668
12 079
11 570
10 522
9 950
9 392
9 114
8 706
8 637
8 646
8 445
8 152
8 081

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
2400
Carrefour -
300
18000
900
Biedronka
1800
34000
Real 54
13500
2300
Auchan 26
10000
120
Makro 31
7000
350
Kaufland
145
12000
1200
Lidl
6000
Praktiker V 24
2100
250
Decathlon 20
1400 70
JYSK
140
1700 50
E. Leclerc
3000
Intermarche
168
lack of info
Ikea 8
4300
Union density apx. 6 %

5. Solidarność organising strategy
New strategy in Development Department of N.C. since January 2011
- close cooperation DD NC „S” with Regional Boards (34 Regions) and Branch Secretariats/ Branch Sections
- regions coordinators (7 persons) from DD NC „S” widely cooperate with regional organising teams (40 regional organizers)
- thanks working together over new members have joined to „S” in commerce sector (at Carrefour, Auchan, Kaufland, Biedronka, Decathlon, Makro, JYSK)
Past and ongoing project funding by EU „Strengthening social dialogue in security sector and hiper- and supermarkets” – realized by Development Department of National Commission NSZZ „Solidarność”
- Kaufland (Schwarz Gruppe), Biedronka (Jeronimo Martins Distribution)

6. Solidarność implementing Resolution 2 Organising in Commerce Political decision level on organizinig – priority in daily life of trade union
Levels on organizinig
Organization in company
it depends on power organization (membership). Strong union (mining, metallurgy) focus on negotiations. Weak organization (commerce, security sector) focus on organizing
Regions level
Decisions are very diversyfied. Every each of 34 Regions has development coordinator, but some Regions hasn’t union organizers yet (in total 40 orgs.). Sometimes regional organizers organise workers in commerce sector, but very often in other sectors
National Commission level
National Commission – Executive Board (Presidium) defines union development as priority and set up new strategy of organising. Department of Development Union has opereted since 1998 (staff of 16), but we need to fashion new model and proffesionalization
Organising campaigns in commerce sector are conducted and initiated by DD very often

7. Building new organizations and organizing new members in existing organizations
New organizations – organizing campaigns
Establishing contacts with employees (phone numbers, adress, s)
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
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.

8. 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
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

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
insufficient awareness of leaders
Posibilities budget and staff
Antyunion Goverment, Employers and media policy

10. Success story Workers organising campaign in Kaufland Polska 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

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. web site: Smiling Cashier appeal to customers
Web site: hyper exploitation
Exploitation map in markets stores
web site: Smiling Cashier appeal to customers
We share information about working condition on Facebook
Like it!

16. 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)

17. conclusion
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
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