Polish trade unions are acting with the country’s student movement in a pioneering campaign to alleviate the growing problems of young workers, especially graduates, more of whom are having to take temporary jobs. The campaign, called ‘Commission Contract Generation’ also wants to stop the increasing use of civil law agreements, which are not covered by Polish labour laws. The campaign has a website giving advice to employees who feel their rights have been breached.
Background
Young people in Poland face growing difficulties in the labour market. The magazine Politkya has published an article (in Polish) showing that a typical employee who earns less than the minimum wage of PLN 1,386 (€344 as at 1 August 2011) is a young female graduate with no professional experience. In addition, employing young people on temporary contracts and commission contracts has become a serious problem. Research (in Polish) completed by the Central Statistical Office and the PKPP Lewiatan employers’ association shows that, out of 13 million full-time employees, three million have temporary agreements. Young employees are far more likely to have these temporary contracts than qualified and experienced workers. The National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) has gathered data on agreements (in Polish, 188Kb PDF), which indicate that, in 2010, civil law agreements were being used for 21% of workers, against 15.5% in 2008 – an increase of 13%. These figures include agreements that would normally require a regular employment contract. Civil law agreements are not covered by Polish labour law and give worse protection to workers than contracts that are covered.
Information about the campaign
The campaign ‘Commission Contract Generation’ (Pokolenie na zlecenie) to improve the situation of young employees is led by the Democratic Student Alliance (DZS) and the Trade Union Forum (FZZ).
DZS is an independent, national organisation that was established to campaign for better higher education and to fight proposals by the Ministry of Higher Education to reform higher education. DZS feels that universities play a significant social role and are more than just vocational institutions preparing students to enter the labour market.
FZZ was established in 2002 (PL0212109F) and has more than 400,000 members. It is a representative organisation according to the membership thresholds as defined in the Act on the Tripartite Commission for Socio-Economic Affairs and Regional (Voivodeship) Social Dialogue Committees. FZZ signatories are trade union organisations representing almost all branches of the economy.
Proposals
The following proposals have been generated by the campaign, which are now being discussed.
- ‘No’ to the evasion of labour law. Civil law agreements should be used as employment contracts only where really justifiable.
- ‘No’ to the unpaid labour of the young. The government should introduce regulations making pay for internships and on-the-job training mandatory and equal to the minimum wage.
- Active role of the state in the economy. The state should create jobs and ensure that employee rights are not infringed.
- Shorter working weeks would increase the number of jobs and significantly lessen the unemployment rate.
- The minimum wage should be increased to 68% of average pay.
- Social inequalities should be addressed through taxation reflecting the amount of earnings, not the type of economic activity performed.
- The powers of the PIP should be strengthened and its funding increased, and effective penalties should be introduced for employers who infringe their workers’ rights.
- The role of vocational education should be increased.
- Labour law, social politics and cooperative business organisation should be taught in schools.
- Free education should be provided at all levels, including free college education through daily, evening and weekend courses.
Commentary
The campaign is the first example of young people forming an organisation at the grassroots level, in cooperation with a big trade union federation, in order to improve not only their own situation in the job market, but also to promote solutions strengthening the role of the state in the national economy. Since the campaign has only just begun, it is still hard to assess its impact. Its success or failure will be the benchmark for other forms of cooperation between trade unions and young workers to improve their position in the labour market.
Marta Trawinska, Institute of Public Affairs