14 Feb 2007 Update: On 14th February, Valentine's Day, the Secretariat was informed that the company returned the computers, with the union insisting on an official record with all details of what was infringed upon, hardware and software. After activities inside of LOT and solidarity support from outside, the President of the board of LOT Polish Airlines was dismissed and a new appointed by the Controlling Board of LOT, Mr Marek Mazur. The union already had a meeting with Mr Mazur, and we hope the new President of the board will respect social dialogue, trade union and human rights.

12 Feb 2007
Protest trade union and civil rights violations at LOT Polish Airlines

.

View archived Protest Letter

The ITF has received word via the LOT cabin crew union that on February 2nd, the company ordered a group of selected individuals to enter four trade union offices. These people confiscated computer hardware and software used by trade unions, with the purpose of inspecting the data held. All the unions involved were operating legitimately as on airline premises.

The ITF has sent the following letter of protest to LOT Polish Airlines:

Mr. Tomasz Dembski
Acting President of the Board
LOT Polish Airlines

12 February 2007

Dear Mr Dembski

I am writing to you as Secretary for the Civil Aviation Section at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). The ITF is a wide-ranging organisation covering all transport industries worldwide, and its civil aviation section represents more than 600,000 workers in 209 unions in almost 100 countries.

I am writing to you to express serious concern about trade union and civil rights violations at LOT Polish Airlines.

Information that received by the International Transport Workers’ Federation via the LOT cabin crew union indicates that on February 2nd, the company ordered a group of selected individuals to enter four trade union offices. These people confiscated computer hardware and software used by trade unions, with the purpose of inspecting the data held. All the unions involved were operating legitimately as on airline premises.

Mr Dembski, I am particularly concerned because the computers concerned contained not only trade union documentation and correspondence, but also the personal data of trade union members.

These interferences with trade union work constitute fundamental violations of trade union, civil and human rights. I would urge you, therefore, to intervene immediately to return confiscated property and to make guarantees that neither the company nor its agents have retained trade union or personal records as a result of this incident.

I would also strongly urge you to enter into a good faith agreement with the unions guaranteeing full support for trade union rights, respect for union members and non-interference with union functioning in LOT.

I would be grateful to hear your comments

Yours sincerely

Ingo Marowsky
Civil Aviation Secretary