UNI Europa Commerce supports solidarity action with Polish Auchan workers
Coinciding with UNI Europa’s Commerce Conference in Gdansk, Poland, host union Solidarnosc today 3 June organised a European solidarity action with Auchan workers in Poland.
After the takeover of Real stores from Metro, Auchan has become the biggest supermarket chain in Poland with a total of around 20,000 employees. The company has refused to enter into a dialogue with the union about the issues put forward by the employees and union members as well as discriminated against union activists, creating a climate of pressure and intimidation.
UNI Europa Commerce fully supports the Auchan workers in their demands
- to enter into a constructive and result oriented dialogue
- to negotiate a collective agreement to improve working conditions and salaries at Auchan
- to end the continued discrimination against trade union members
- to allow them to organise
UNI Europa Commerce President John Hannett said: ‘We are here today to underline the importance of giving workers a voice, of fighting for respect and dignity at the workplace including the right to strike and appropriate pay.’
UNI Europa’s Head of Commerce, Laila Castaldo said: ‘UNI Europa Commerce stands in solidarity with Auchan workers in Poland and supports Solidarnosc’s work for them. We are very happy that so many trade unions across Europe came here today to show their support – this shows the strength of a united trade union movement in Europe.’
Polish Auchan workers received strong support from trade unions all over Europe, particularly the French trade unions, the country where the Auchan headquarters are based:
Carole Desiano, Federal secretary underlined the support of FGTA FO Grande Distribution and Force Ouvrière Auchan France, who have promised to announce Solidarnosc’s claims in all French Auchan stores as well as to send them to their management: ‘It is high time that Auchan ceases exercising pressure on Polish employees and finally agrees to start a dialogue with the trade unions to improve the working lives of Auchan employees in Poland.’
Michel Calicat, Executive Committee Member of the French trade union confederation CGT Commerce, Distribution and Services, declared its full support for the Polish employees: ‘We denounce this discrimination as we have done regarding Auchan Ukraine where employees suffered the same practices. Attacking the freedom to organise means ridiculing the collective expression of employees – this is unacceptable. We encourage to intervene again and invite the Polish trade unions to meet their counterparts in France.