The Polish Post union, Solidarność Poczty Polskiej, is gearing up for a strike referendum in September, according to Marcin Gallo, the union’s vice chairman. Gallo expressed concerns that a proposed voluntary departure program could degrade service quality.
During a press conference about the company’s transformation plan, the President of Polish Post, Sebastian Mikosz, announced the introduction of a voluntary exit program that would affect over 9,000 employees, roughly 15% of the workforce. Mikosz also stated that the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement would be terminated, citing it as “completely unsuitable for today’s realities” and the “need for flexibility and modernity in managing personnel.” The termination of the agreement is set to take effect on February 28, 2025.
The voluntary exit program will be financed with 600 million złoty, a move that has surprised union leadership. “This is a big surprise for us. We wonder if these funds, if not spent outside the company and instead invested in employee salaries, would have a better effect,” Gallo said. The union plans to convene an inter-factory committee next week to respond to this development.
Gallo also pointed out troubling changes in the management structures of Polish Post, including the recent removal of employee representatives from the supervisory board and the suspension of one member from the management board. “We interpret these actions as denying the social side access to any information on how the changes in the company are to proceed,” he added.
The union is worried about the potential service degradation that could result from the planned departure of 9,300 workers. They are particularly concerned about the loss of younger employees, which could exacerbate the issue of an aging workforce.
Gallo criticized Mikosz’s statement about the termination of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). “The statement made today at the conference, that the CBA is being terminated in order to be able to pay employees bonuses, is completely incomprehensible,” Gallo remarked, noting that bonuses at Polish Post are paid based on a separate bonus regulation, not the CBA.
In response to these employer decisions, the union is preparing a series of actions, including defending their representatives in the management and supervisory boards, and informing European union centrals about the situation. “This is a situation that has never occurred on the Polish labor market,” stated Gallo.
He also announced that the union plans a strike referendum in September and does not rule out demonstrations in Warsaw. “We must prepare for a long march in defense of workers’ rights, as the employer has broadly scoped its actions,” Gallo declared.