Restructuring, Tax justice, Central government, Poland

Workers at the ZUS social insurance institution are getting a large pay rise thanks to months of campaigning and negotiating by their union ZPP ZUS. Most workers will get at least PLN 600 (€125) but on average increases will be around PLN 900 (€190). The minimum salary is now PLN 3100 (€650). Some workers will benefit from discretionary increases with a maximum increase for most workers of PLN 1200 (€250) while IT workers could get up to PLN 1500 (€315). EPSU wrote to the prime minister underlining the massive amount of additional work ZUS employees had to undertake in relation to the pandemic

In response to a new government development strategy, the OPZZ trade union confederation has emphasised the need to ensure decent pay in the public services and has expressed concern about government proposals to freeze public sector pay in 2021. OPZZ argues that current levels of pay fail to make the public sector attractive to new recruits and there are problems with fluctuating employment levels while workers face increasing responsibilities and workloads. The confederation underlines the link between quality services and quality employment and the important of effective tax, legal, health

EPSU has sent a letter to the prime minister protesting against the introduction of the so-called Shield Two law that allows for regulations to be passed to cut the jobs and pay and conditions of civil servants and other workers in public administration. Poland has not declared a state of emergency and yet the legislation was rushed through without the normal parliamentary procedure nor consultation with trade unions. Furthermore, parts of the Labour Code and legislation on collective redundancies will not apply if the regulations are implemented.

Members of the Solidarity trade union working in the courts and prosecutors' offices organised a protest on 13 November over pay. Rather than the image of high-paid judges and prosecutors, the union says that 80% of workers get less than 2000 ZLT (EUR 475) a month and their pay claim is for a modest 100 ZLT a month (EUR 25). The protestors handed in a petition to the prime minister also calling for an increase in jobs in the sector.