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Solidarity campaign to back Polish aviation workers
11 September 2009
The ITF and its European arm, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), are launching a campaign to back the struggle of workers at a Polish airline who are facing job cuts and pay reductions.
Workers at the Polish airline LOT are fighting against plans by the company to have their current collective bargaining agreement terminated. The president and chief executive officer of LOT, Sebastian Mikosz, wants to introduce a new contract from 1 October 2009, which would cut salaries by 15 per cent and reduce staff by the same amount.
The airline has already embarked on other anti-union practices, notably dismissing Elwira Niemiec president of the Polish Cabin Crew Union and Grzegorz Kossowski, president of the LOT Polish Airlines Employees' Union, in July. The ITF and the ETF issued a letter of protest to Mikosz. The two union leaders have yet to be reinstated.
Since then, meetings with Mikosz have been deadlocked.
As a result, the ITF and ETF are campaigning to see the dismissed trade union presidents reinstated and the current collective bargaining agreement respected, with any changes implemented only following full consultation and negotiation with the unions. The ITF and the ETF are preparing a plan of international action for the next six months in conjunction with Polish unions. This includes a call for solidarity from other unions and the submission of a complaint to the International Labour Organization (ILO) in light of the Polish government’s infringement of core ILO conventions, which Poland has ratified. The federations have also committed to backing the unions’ actions to reinstate their leaders and to establish a proper social dialogue.
Gabriel Mocho, ITF civil aviation section secretary, commented: “Management clearly intends to force the workers to accept the imposed conditions and to avoid negotiations. LOT workers cannot be blackmailed into accepting redundancies. LOT Airlines’ CEO – the eighth in four years – should reinstate the dismissed union leaders and start a positive social dialogue so that an agreement can be reached and LOT’s survival ensured.”
Francois Ballestero, ETF civil aviation political secretary, added: “Mikosz’s methods are out of another era. He forgets that social dialogue is a key factor in saving the company. His authoritarian approach tramples on the morale of LOT employees and makes employees feel insecure and not respected.”
To visit the campaign site and get latest news, go to www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/LOTdispute.cfm
To send a protest letter, visit: www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/LOTDispute.cfm
Related pages:
Support LOT Workers
Solidarity page for LOT workers
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11 September 2009
ITF and ETF launch campaign to back Polish aviation workers
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and its...
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