Building dialogue in the private security sector in Poland

1. Building dialogue in the private security sector in Poland

2. Security Sectorin Poland More than 200,000 workers Hundreds of small companies Small number of large and rapidly growing companies Very low union membership

3. Issues • Low pay 5,60 zł per hour (less than 2€) • Fee-for-task agreements • Too much overtime • Low status of the profession • Companies compete based on low wages, not quality

4. 2006 “Solidarność” begins an organising campaign in the private security sector with support of UNI

5. Campaign Goals To build national union of security workers To establish dialogue with employers that improves working conditions for security workers in Poland

6. Basic Strategy Organising campaign in Warsaw (largest market) National Partnership Agreements on organising rights with employers Expand Campaign to other key markets

7. 40+% of Warsaw market Concentration of top clients 10 000guards Includesmultinationals Organising campaign in 8 key companies

8. Elements of the campaign Mapping & issue identification 1 on 1 contact with workers Communications: leaflets, website, media Political Legal Client (Principal Employer)

9. End of 2006 996 members

10. Employers’ Anti-Union Actions Ekotrade Fired union leader. Solid Security Fired 21 trade union members Reduced the working hours of union activists Forced 72 workers to resign from the union. Yellow Unions Several employers actively promote management controlled organisations

11. Going public Client Letters Leafleting Pickets International support – UNI, SIPTU Reports on working conditions in private security sector/Press events Demonstration in front of government Exhibition "Fathers return home: Our children need their fathers" Activitiesputting pressure on commercial andgovernment clients:

12. What we won Covering more than 40 000 security workers. Union has also a partnership agreement with PZP “Ochrona” – a national employers’ association Union now has partnership agreements in 6 companies – Solid, G4S, Securitas, Impel, Konsalnet and Ekotrade;

13. Building a National Union Late 2007, individual branch unions merged to form national security workers union

14. Campaignhas expanded Wrocław Poznań Gdańsk other Cities

15. As of Today 5000 members >25% density in key markets And Growing!

16. But,it is not possible to fulfil the EU standards of social dialogue in the private security sector in Poland as long as: Workers earn 5 – 6zl per hour Workers must work more than 300 hours per month in order to provide for their families

17. Solving These Problems • Continue to build the union • Reform public tender process to include quality criteria • Negotiate industry collective agreement

18. Industry-wide collective bargaining is the only way we can raise standards across the industry and make positive changes in private security sector in Poland.

19. In July, “Solidarnosc” began simultaneous collective negotiations with the 8 biggest companies. There is a single unified negotiations committee with representatives from all 8 companies

20. Our Goal A common collective agreement which effectively will set a higher standard for the entire sector