Social Services, Strike, Poland

Over 400 social care workers in Legnica in south west Poland could begin strike action on 27 February if their pay demands are not met. Their union, NSZZ "Solidarność", points out that over half the workers are on the minimum wage and this is set to rise to three-quarters if the employers don’t respond to the call for pay increases. The union says that this is a fight not just about pay but for the dignity of the profession. Meanwhile, water workers in Wielkopolska in central west Poland – members of the NSZZ "Solidarność" and Forum trade unions – are involved in protests over pricing and

Members of the Solidarity trade union employed by the local authority and municipal companies in Szczecin in North West Poland organised a protest on 29 December outside the City Hall calling for a pay rise for the many workers carrying out essential services and often arduous work. The demands cover around 6000 workers providing a range of services from water and waste to early years education and nursing homes. The union has called for a PLN 1000 (€220) pay rise and estimates that some 50% of the 6000 workers are on the minimum wage of PLN 3000 (€660). The action followed an earlier protest

The OZZPiP nurses' and midwives' union looks set to declare disputes in different regions across the country in a process that could lead to a national strike. The union is angry that legislation on bonuses for work with COVID-19 patients has been amended and could see many nurses lose out if they work with COVID-19 patients but in hospitals that are not designated as COVID-19 facilities. Furthermore, the union is calling for allowances to go to all nurses and midwives that come into contact with COVID-19 patients and not just staff who are specifically assigned to care for these patients

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

Teachers, childcare workers and school administrative and other staff began an all-out strike on 8 April following three weeks of negotiations with the government over pay. The negotiations also came after a three-year campaign of demonstrations and protests over low pay in the sector affecting both teachers and other school staff. With the government refusing to come up with a decent pay offer, support for strike action was very high, registering 80%-90% in some areas. The action comes at a time when other groups of public service workers are either taking strike action or pushing for higher