After a strike lasting since Monday and marathon, seven-hour negotiations with the participation of the company's foreign management, trade unionists managed to reach a wage compromise. This morning, production lines in Silesian factories started again.
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Failure of talks and complete paralysis of factories
The conflict within the company has been growing since the beginning of this year. Salary talks conducted for months did not bring any results due to the wide range of expectations. The staff initially fought for a 12 percent salary increase and the payment of an annual bonus equal to each employee's base salary. In turn, the employer proposed a salary increase of only 3.4%. and a bonus of 50-60 percent. rates.
Due to the lack of will to reach an agreement on the part of the company's authorities, the trade unions held a strike referendum and decided on the final step. On Monday, May 18, at 6:00 a.m., three plants belonging to the concern closed down, including the factory in Siemianowice Śląskie and the branch in Truskolasy.. Buildings were flagged and production was completely stopped.
— The entire crew united, everyone who took part in the referendum vote later went on strike, there were no riots. In all three plants, in Siemianowice Śląskie, Truskolasy and Polkowice, it was peaceful and optimistic — reports Adam Lazar, chairman of “Solidarity” at the Minova Ekochem factory in Siemianowice, in an interview with “Dziennik Zachodni”.
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A negotiation marathon with your boss throughout Europe
A breakthrough in the ongoing protest occurred on Thursday, May 21. The scale and determination of the strike forced the company's top international management to intervene. Michael Napoletano, vice-president of Minova Global and head of the group's structures throughout Europe, came to Poland for direct talks with the social side.
The trade unionists at the negotiating table showed flexibility, which allowed them to reach a common position after nearly seven hours of difficult talks.
“During the negotiations, which lasted seven hours, we came down to 6%. raises and 100 percent “bonus”, as well as a 4% raise guaranteed from January.” – explains Adam Lazar.
In addition to an immediate increase in salaries and securing a full annual bonus, employee representatives won a key mechanism to protect their earnings against loss of value.
“If there was 5% inflation, we would get a 6% increase.” – says Lazar.
