Poland & the Union Busters!

It's like the old saying about buses: you wait all day for one to come along, and then two appear at at the same time. This week we have two new campaigns in support of retail workers in Poland, from two different unions, confronting two different global employers. When I asked why this had happened, I was told it was no coincidence. Polish workers -- like workers in so many other countries -- are under attack. In this case, we can help and we can make a difference. The employers are the cheap LIDL supermarket chain, based in Germany, which will be familiar to many of you, and Aelia, which runs shops in airports and is part of the Lagardere Services group, based in France. The famous Polish union "Solidarnosc" organized workers at LIDL more than a year ago, but the company is refusing to talk. The union has begun a series of innovative protests, including blocking cash registers by paying in small coins. Still, union representatives are being harassed and union leaders have been sacked. Solidarnosc, together with UNI Global Union, has asked us to send a strong message to LIDL -- please take a moment to do so: http://www.labourstart.org/go/lidl A newer and smaller union in Poland, Workers' Initiative, has asked for our help in a campaign for union rights at Warsaw's Chopin Airport. When workers at the Aelia duty free shop joined the union in May, the company reacted by sacking their elected representative and encouraged other workers to quit the union. This is yet another example of a multinational corporation ignoring workers' rights. Let's send them a powerful message too: http://www.labourstart.org/go/aelia Now please share this message with your friends, family, co-workers and fellow union members. Thanks very much! Eric Lee Which campaigns have I missed? Click here to find out.