Project activities in Poland

Download a summary of the Polish pilot project

Polish study: "Job mobility and migration of Poles"

Statement of the BSLN round table in the German-Polish boarder region (written in Polish)

Background of BSLN in Poland

The concept of our project is based on observatory of labour mobility in the Baltic Sea Region especially in Poland. The aim of our study is to tackle different aspects of mobility and its impact on Polish labour market. We will also try to draw some political attention to our actions undertaken in the course of our work. This seems to be particularly important in terms of influencing policymakers in the area of immigration, social and labour market issues.

Summary of national action plan
Our key actions planned for this year are concentrated towards organization and preparatory works. Firstly we need to establish an organizational structure at national level and set up the virtual office. Our work design is based on the work teams i.e. administrative, substantive and task teams formed by union and external experts. Moreover, we are planning to develop issues such as: communication, research framework preparation, setting up the framework of cooperation with our German partner, as well as, developing relations with the stakeholders i.e. employers organizations, NGOs’, academics , etc.

Partners’ Organizations
KK NSZZ SOLIDARNOSC (National Commission of Independent Self-Governing Trade Union Solidarnosc)
The Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union Solidarnosc was founded as a result of worker protests and established on the basis of the Gdansk Accords signed on 31st August 1980 by the Inter-enterprise Strike Committee and the Government Commission. NSZZ Solidarnosc represents 722.000 workers, what is 4,35% of the total unionisation of work force in Poland (11-13%). There are union members in every industry and services. Membership includes managers, administrators and professional staff as well as scientists and technicians; skilled workers and labourers; full-time workers and those who work part time; pensioners/retirees, school students in factory-run vocational schools doing sub-contracting work for factories or receiving vocational training in such schools; persons contracting for work at home, unemployed, disabled and persons who are performing alternative military service.A check off system is in operation. NSZZ "Solidarnosc" has a territorial-branch structure. 8105 thousand enterprise Union organisations (locals) are associated into 34 regions (VI.2006). Enterprise Union organisations are associated at the same time in the national branch sections which form 16 national branch secretariats.

In 1986 the NSZZ Solidarnosc was affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions as well as to the World Confederation of Labour. In 2006 joined the International Trade Union Confederation, after its establishing both by ICFTU and WCL. Since 1995 is one of affiliates of the European Trade Union Confederation and since 1997 to the Trade Union Advisory Committee to OECD.

OPZZ – Ogólnopolskie Porozumienie Zwiazków Zawodowych (The All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions)
The All Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ) is a left-wing nationwide inter-union organisation of a confederation structure, established by nationwide trade unions and trade union associations on November 24th, 1984.

OPZZ associates 86 nation-wide trade union organisations (uniform trade unions and federations) grouped in 9 branches:

• Mine, Chemical and Energy
• Metalworkers
• Education & Science
• Public Services
• Food, Agriculture and Tourism
• Building, Road and Woodworkers
• Textiles, Clothing and Leather
• Transport
• Commerce, Services, Culture and Art

The listed branch structures have been defined in 2006 to improve a system of co-operation between trade union units and to promote European relations.
OPZZ also has its internal territorial structures, with territorial range corresponding to the administrative division of the country. These are voivodship (regional) councils (16) and powiat (district) councils (240).
The territorial structures represent OPZZ vis-a-vis enterprise and supra-enterprise trade union organisations in a given area and vis-a-vis competent public bodies (governmental and self-governmental), employers, political organisations, NGOs and occupational organisations.
Since 2006 OPZZ is a nationwide organisation affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Important links:
www.solidarnosc.org.pl
http://www.opzz.org.pl/
http://158.66.1.44/
http://www.dialogspoleczny.pl/
http://dialog.gov.pl/