Budryk update
Jan 7 2008 17:02
A few new developments with the Budryk strike:
The management claims the mine is losing over 1 million USD a day because of the strike. They have informed the prosecutor's office that the strike is illegal and told the miners that after the strike is over, they will be sued for damages.
For days the miners have been trying to get down into the mine to protest underground. The management was blocking access to the elevators but the miners managed to get control. Currently there are 300 miners underground at 700 meters, and 40 at 1050 meters underground. On the weekend, there were as many as 400 miners underground, but conditions there are extremely tough. Two miners had to get medical help; one of them is home in good condition, but the other was hospitalized and even had to undergone some emergency procedures.
Over the weekend there was a demonstration outside the mine. Hundreds of people came, including the families of protestors and supporters.
Many many individuals and organizations have sent protest letters or written statements in support of the miners. Activists from ZSP and WI in Poland have been gathering money or plan to do benefits for the strikers. Activists from ZSP thank all the comrades who have already sent solidarity letters; the miners are very appreciative of the support. Please continue sending protests, if you haven't already sent one. If you have any problems sending emails, please send an attachment with a copy and we can fax it or even deliver it personally to the government mailbox. (We know somebody who can do this.) Address: warsaw@zsp.net.pl
Jan 9 2008 06:01
#2
VICTORY OR TRICK?
Miners from Budryk who were occupying the mine have come up from underground as the management of JSW has presented a new agreement which would give them 700 zloties wage increase. This was the minimum the strikers have been demanding.
The non-striking unions in Budryk (there are 8 - 4 were striking, 4 not), have signed the deal. The strikers are reading it and will meet with representatives of JSW in the morning.
If this is not some sort of trick to break the strike, it means that the strike has been won!
We are waiting for the deal to be signed or rejected by the strikers, but it looks like victory.
Jan 9 2008 06:17
#3
~Good news I hope, thanks for the updates laure.
Jan 9 2008 21:24
#4
Well, the answer is TRICK.
The news of the agreement to pay the raise is at best misleading. Workers were demanding immediate raises, not over the course of a few years. Although there is no exact information about what was in the agreement presented, it looks as if the management effectively used disinformation to get people out of the mine. One union gave up striking.
There was information in all the press today that the company had agreed not to sue the strikes but, as it turns out, this was also disinformation and this is a point being discussed. This news comes directly from one of the negotiating parties who says that no agreement has been reached.
Tomorrow is a solidarity action at the Ministry of Finance. Maybe something will change by then.
Jan 15 2008 11:04
#5
The situation in Budryk is getting nasty. The Minister of Economy is intent on busting the strike and punishing the strikers. JSW has withdrawn some previous offers. The strikers have resumed their occupation underground.
I posted an update:
http://cia.bzzz.net/budryk_update
Some people may have read on other portals how one of the leaders of ATTAC has called for the police to crush the strike. Some more about that here:
http://cia.bzzz.net/call_in_the_police_win_a_vacuum_cleaner
Jan 16 2008 17:15
#6
Todays update.
Politicians are fucking the miners. Pawlak is acting like Margaret Thatcher and the President is trying to capitalize on this struggle.
The miners wives came to Warsaw to meet the Minister but he went to some fucking church and treated the women like shit.
http://cia.bzzz.net/jan_15_budryk_update
Jan 20 2008 10:03
#7
Updated news:
Miners' wives were in Warsaw but dissed by the Minister of Economy who refused to meet with them. Instead, he went to the gala of entrepeneurial and business associations along with the PM and leader of shock therapy Balcerowicz and participated in an orgy of anti-worker sentiment.
Miners unions met with representatives of JSW but the company won't put specific settlement amounts on paper and the negotiations turned into a fiasco.
The occupation strike is still on. 27 miners went on hunger strike.
Jan 21 2008 05:26
#8
More miners joined a hunger strike being held in the Budryk mine yesterday. 34 miners are on hunger strike - 30 are 1050 meters below ground in the occupied mine and 4 more above ground. The hunger strike started six days ago with four miners and has spread.
Currently about 150 miners are occupying the mine 700 meters below ground with an additional 200 miners occupying it above.
On Sunday afternoon two of the miners occupying the mine underground felt faint and had to be evacuated. An ambulance was called. One of the hunger strikers had to be hospitalized. According to the strike committee, the action is taking its toll on the health of the miners.
The strike action escalated as the latest negotiations with JSW turned into a fiasco. Budryk was merged with JSW at the beginning of the year. The salaries of miners at Budryk were up to 200 euros lower than the salaries at other mines in the JSW holding company.
JSW is a state-owned mining group which is slated for privatization.
Photo of hunger strikers:
http://cia.bzzz.net/34_people_on_hunger_strike_in_budryk_mine
Article which explains (among other things) about corruption in the mining industry and why Budryk workers have lower wages than in other mines.
http://cia.bzzz.net/poland_three_labour_conflicts_highlight_the_states_animosity_towards_workers
Jan 30 2008 20:32
#9
Budryk is like a circus.
On Monday, workers who are against the strike demonstrated against the strikers. Today there were fights between the pro and anti-strike miners. Striking miners blocked entrance to non-striking workers, and some violence occurred. Non-striking workers vowed to come back tomorrow.
The management has gone wild. They've hired a public relations firm now because apparently the supporters of the Budryk strike are "masters of the media" - that is have good coverage of the strike on the internet. (The mainstream media is a different matter as it tends of be against working people.)
The management of JSW has filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office again claiming that a crim has been committed. Other unions at the mine (not specified but maybe including Solidarity) have likewise reported the union August 80 for apparently keeping a large quantity of vodka in their office, which also may be a "crime".
Feb 1 2008 07:38
#10
An agreement was reached ending the strike in the Budryk mine. It had lasted 46 days.
Workers will receive a pay raise of 490 zloties (135 euro) a month gross plus a one-time payment of 2200 zloties (600 euro) to compensate for low wages last year. This is less than the strikers were demanding.
The main demand of the strike was to end wage discrimination by raising the level of wages in Budryk to that of other mines controlled by the JSW holding company. Budryk (which is owned by the State Treasury) was merged into the JSW holding group (also owned by the State Treasury) at the beginning of the year. The average level of wages in Budryk is the lowest among mines in the JSW group despite the fact that Budryk is one of the most profitable mines in Poland and workers achieve twice the national average output.
A commission will be formed in order to examine how to raise wages in Budryk to the level of other JSW mines which the management of JSW promises to do by 2010.
JSW also agreed not to prosecute or take other action against the strikers provided a court rules that the strike was legal. JSW has claimed it was not and has filed complaints with the public prosecutor's office on at least two occasions. The last time was on Jan.30 when striking workers refused to let non-striking workers into the mine.
The situation had grown extremely hard for the strikers who were tired after 46 days of the occupation strike. They had come under increased attack from not only the management of JSW but the government, media and the leaders of unions which were not striking in Budryk.
Today was a day when the leaders of unions inside Budryk which are not striking gave a present to the capitalist media by claiming that workers were being terrorized and forced to strike by their unions.