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According to UNI Europa affiliate NSZZ Solidarnosc, union members protested in front of the Silesia City Center Mall in Katowice (one of the biggest in Poland) on Children’s Day against mass redundancies in Tesco Poland, which is sacking some 1,000 employees. Employees’ children participated in the picket and they left greetings cards to the supermarket’s managers asking the bosses not to dismiss their parents.

- Tesco is making redundant around one thousand people. That means one thousand tragedies not only for the employees being made redundant but also for their families. We are here to say „NO” to mass redundancies – said Alfred Bujara – President of “Solidarnosc” Commerce TU.

- For the employer we are only numbers in their financial calculations, but behind the numbers there are the people who have worked devotedly for Tesco for many years. And the employer thanks us for that good work in such a way. – said Elzbieta Jakubowska, chaiwoman of “Solidarnosc TU in Tesco Poland.

The protest action in front of Silesia City Center was organised on Children’s Day on purpose. Employees’ children participated in the picket. They painted and drew greetings cards. You can see two of them being held by a boy„ Don’t dismiss my mom and dad”, „Don’t take away jobs from my parents”. The unionists were going to hand these cards to the Director of Katovice Tesco market. – To our regret the Director denied receiving us though she assured us that she would find the time for us. So the children had to leave their greeting cards in the point of customer service. – says Miroslaw Grzywa from Silesian Region of the Solidarnoœæ TU.

Ryszard Drabek - The Vice-President of Silesian division of “Solidarnoœæ” TU underlined that multinationals have double standards for employees: the good ones in their countries of origin and the bad ones in the Central Europe. – No employer from Western Europe could behave in such a terrible way towards the employees. We cannot let that happen - said R. Drabek.

The unionists also stressed that the financial results of Tesco Poland are evidence that there is no justification for such drastic reductions. Tesco opened almost 100 new stores in the last years in Poland, but the number of workers stayed the same. What’s more, there are more and more duties – argued Elzbieta Jakubowska. – In such a supermarket where we are now (Katovice) some 600-650 people are employed in the UK and in Poland – only 300 people. So in Poland one employee does the job which is performed by 2-3 people in the UK. – added Alfred Bujara.

Tesco Poland informed „Solidarnoœæ” TU about the intention of making mass redundancies in late April. The redundancies started on 16th May and they will be finished after mid-June. Several hundreds of people have already been made redundant. On 14th of May all the Unions in Tesco Poland set up a joint protest committee. Since 22 May there has been a collective labour dispute going on in Tesco Poland. “Solidarnoœæ” TU demands limitation of redundancies and introducing social protection for the employees being made redundant.