News

On 8th March TU Solidarnoœæ Commerce organised a happening which aim was to bring public opinion’s attention to the problem of too much workload in multinational companies. In Stawowa Street in Katowice unionists put a shop cash desk where each passerby could ascertain how hard is the cashier’s work.

- We put welded packaging of mineral water and other heavy products on cash register tape. Then we asked passersby to try to shift them over the reader in the speed that cashiers have to work. None of the passersby was able to do that and the supermarkets’ workers shift three tons of such products during one working day. – said Alfred Bujara president of The National Secretariat of Banks, Commerce and Insurance of TU NSZZ Solidarnoœæ. He added that the happening was organised for Women’s Day on purpose because more than 70 per cent of supermarket commerce workers are women.

- I haven’t supposed that it is such a hard work. My hands are aching after a few seconds. I wouldn’t be able to stand this work during eight hours. I always respected cashiers’ work but I thought it was a little easier – said Ms. Kathrine from Miko³ów who tried herself behind cash-desk prepared by unionists.

As points Alfred Bujara in majoraty of multinationals cashiers have Just a little more than two seconds to scan one product. If they are not able to fit in a standard their boss will talk to them or they can will loose their bonus or even they May be sacked. – During our action we also distributed leaflets in which we asked customers to pack their shopping at first and then to pay for it. Only then a cashier is able to rest for a few seconds. If we pay before packing a cashier Has to start scanning products of the next customer. – explained the leader of TU “Solidarnoœæ” Commerce.

Leaflets action were organised also in many other Polish cities like: Gdañsk, £odŸ, Warsaw, Bydgoszcz, Bia³ystok, Zielona Góra, Piotrków Trybunalski, Wroc³aw, Jelenia Góra, Rzeszów, Poznañ and Legnica. It’s worth adding that in several Katowice supermarkets unionists handed flowers to the female cashiers working there.