Makro employees were out in force on Sunday to demand that the Makro Management Board listen to their demands for fairer wages and better conditions, in keeping with the norm for the commerce sector in Poland.
Many members of NSZZ TU Solidarity from Makro Cash and Carry Poland participated in the rally outside the Makro Business Support Center in Warsaw. During the protest a memorandum to the Management Board of Makro Poland (see attached document) was read out by trade unionists.
Among their concerns was the lack of dialogue with management, the freezing of wages, and overwork, underlined by a lack of respect for the union and its members.
Alfred Bujara, President of the National Section of Commerce Sector Employees of NSZZ Solidarity TU, who took part in the protest, said it was clearly wrong that workers were being asked to work three times as hard for the same pay because of inadequate staffing. He added that these workers were being subjected to unacceptable levels of occupational stress which was damaging their health.
Head of UNI Commerce, Mathias Bolton said, “We fully support NSZZ Solidarity TU and the Makro workers in their just cause and add our voice to their call for management to come to the negotiating table and resolve these grave issues. Makro workers deserve a pay rise. We also recognize that there is a poor state of social dialogue with almost all of the multinationals in Poland and UNI Commerce plans to work with Solidarnosc and MNC’s to address this problem.”
