Striking season begins

Representatives from the defense, energy and health sectors took to the streets last week.

As the effects of the economic slowdown spread throughout Poland, public unrest is growing. Last Friday alone workers demonstrated in three cities across the country.

Around 8,000 defense-industry employees rallied in Warsaw, protesting in front of Parliament and then marching to the Prime Minister's Chancellory. The defense sector, which employs a total of around 40,000, is expected to suffer due to budget cuts that impose spending limits on arms and equipment for the Polish army. Industry workers fear that reduced order books will lead to layoffs.

PM Donald Tusk assured that government representatives are in talks with labor unions and that both sides are working together on a solution for the industry. He underscored that it was too early to say that the sector had suffered from the budget cuts, as these were announced as emergency measures for H2 2009.

Meanwhile, in Gdańsk about 3,000 Energa Group employees attacked the company's headquarters with eggs and fireworks. Labor unions accused the management of incompetence and failure to consult business decisions with them. The northern Polish energy producer and supplier has already guaranteed its workers employment until 2017, holiday bonuses, free coal rations and 80-percent discounts on their energy bills.
"Management is committed to keeping the organizational model in which we are responsible for business decisions, while the labor unions take care of workers' interests," Energa Group explained in a statement. Labor leaders are not satisfied with this role, however, which limits their influence on the company.

Finally, in Augustów (Podlaskie voivodship), personnel from the municipal ambulance service went on strike. They oppose the city's decision to grant Falck, a private medical firm, the right to operate the service as this may result in the loss of 43 jobs. The employees accused the local authorities of favoring a foreign company and doing nothing to save their jobs.

Marcin Poznań