Poland’s largest container terminal bans dock union
organisers
17/03/2015
The ITF is supporting Polish affiliate union Solidarnosc,
after its organisers were banned from accessing the country’s fastest growing
port terminal.
The ban at DCT Gdansk follows a protest by 30 dockers at the
office of the CEO over the termination of a union leader’s employment contract
last week.
Union membership at the port is approaching 50 percent.
Despite this, management has failed to address union concerns over a number of
important issues including pay, contracts, meaningful negotiation, consultation
and holidays. It has also brought in a legal firm to handle negotiations with
the union over a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) rather than dealing with
the process directly.
DCT Gdansk recently secured loans of EUR290 million to
expand its operations and plans to employ 1,500 workers to meet the growing
demand for deep-sea services in Central-Eastern Europe. Some of this borrowing
is secured through the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
ITF representatives are in dialogue with the bank over its performance
requirement for clients, which stipulates that they will not discourage workers
from forming or joining workers’ organisations of their choosing or bargaining
collectively, and will not discriminate against workers who participate in such
organisations.
ITF president and chair of the ITF dockers’ section, Paddy
Crumlin said: ”It looks like DCT Gdansk is trying to deploy every dirty trick
in the book to avoid dealing openly with Solidarnosc. Its treatment of union
members and leaders is deplorable and unacceptable. We expect to see a new CBA
shortly. In the meantime we will continue our dialogue with the EBRD, step up
pressure on the investment banking group Macquarie which owns DCT and raise
this problem with customers and the international trade union community.”
ITF dockers’ section 2nd vice-chair Torben Seebold will meet
with Polish union leaders in April to discuss providing international support
to help their campaign.
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Get more info on the situation at DCT Gdansk in English:
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Christmas at DCT
Some of our colleagues were called into a meeting on 17th
December and they were wondering if they were about to receive a Christmas
present from DCT management. Unfortunately, it appears that Christmas is, yet
again cancelled at DCT, as they were given a letter from management
representatives criticising our union. These management representatives also
made negative comments about union activity. We do not have the same
opportunity to call all workers to a meeting such as this, so our only way to
respond is by giving you this leaflet.
We believe that employers who treat their workers well and
respect their rights at work should have the opportunity to expand their
operations. We encourage good employers to expand their operations and work
with us to create more quality jobs for Polish workers.
But the question our members ask is this: Is DCT Gdansk a
good employer?
We are still waiting to hear management proposals on issues
such as; extra payment for weekend and public holiday working and changes to
shift patterns. We have also asked them to employ workers on permanent (not
temporary) contracts, improve pay for working at a higher level and sign a full
collective agreement with the union where they would negotiate all changes to
our terms and conditions, instead of just announcing their decisions. At our
last meeting on 5th December, we told them that we are disappointed they have
been unable to reach a single agreement with us on any of these issues, so far.
Our members know this port makes good profits. Our members
know this port intends to expand and make more profit. But we know that our
members do not feel they are treated fairly or with respect. Management told us
they think they are a good employer. We told them that good employers do not
justify their status by saying they are not the worst employer in Poland.
Fear
Many of our members tell us they feel management try to
create fear amongst us in order to prevent us from asking for our fair share.
This fear can only exist if it is kept secret.
We do not want our colleagues to live in fear of losing their jobs. This
is not fair and is an attack upon our dignity and respect. We do want to work
for a good employer and we want to feel valued as employees. If we can be
valued, we will work with DCT management to help them expand the terminal and
become the best employer in Poland.
It is true that we want to open up some of the working
practices in this terminal to outside inspection. This is not a time for
threats or intimidation, but it is a time for management to demonstrate – with
actions, not words – that they are (and will continue to be) a good employer.
Banks, customers and government also want to work with the best employers. Many
have criteria preventing them from working with organisations where the
workforce is not treated with respect. We have simply asked them to look at
this situation and make their own decisions. If DCT management genuinely
believes they have acted responsibly, then they have nothing to fear from
opening up their activities to these interested parties and let them make their
own decisions. If they have concerns about doing this, then their alternative
is to sit down with us, make an agreement and then we will work constructively
with them to expand their business.
Our Christmas wish
We would like to wish all of our colleagues - working
(without any extra payment) or not working on Christmas Day – a very merry
Christmas. The Christmas present we would dearly like to give ourselves is
respect and dignity at work. We deserve nothing less. Please be assured that we
will work with colleagues in Poland and internationally to do everything we can
to deliver this.
We have made good progress in our campaign and we have done
this by standing together. We are a strong group of workers and we can win
respect. But it is really important that we continue to stand together. If any
member has some questions or concerns, then we are always available to discuss
these with you. Please come and talk to us. It will be in full confidence. We
understand this is a difficult and worrying time, but we believe we can win
this because we are simply asking for what is fair.
Remember, the more members we have, the more we can succeed.
Now is a really important time for all of our colleagues to support us.
Please keep reminding all of our colleagues who have not yet
joined, to join the union and help us win.
***
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