An update on the postal workers strike in Poland. As it has spread bosses have offered a pay increase, but way below workers' demands.
As of now, mail carriers in many cities have joined the strike, but not all of them. Most post offices are working and accepting mail, even if they are not delivering. The exceptions are in Warsaw in the Praga District where the 2nd PO in the city was shut down and in Szczecin where 23 POs have closed during the strike. In these places, and in a few others, other postal workers (cashiers, sorters, etc.) have joined the strike.
After long negotiations with Polish Post, the workers were offered a raise of 100 zl. a month - around 25 Euro. They are demanding about 10 times that as a raise.
Of course the Post Office cannot "afford" that without cutting management posts or spending or receiving subsidies from the state. So this will become a political issue and will require the government to decide because only a decision to subsidize these raises through the state budget will provide this money. Or lay-offs. The Polish Post employs over 100,000 people but its profits would only cover a raise of about 80 Zloty (20 Euro, £12) a month. The state is of course not interested in subsidising anything - except themselves and have put the PO under pressure to be profitable.
Unionists and workers have stated that they won't except that amount and that they may start a general strike as soon as tomorrow.
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