(en) ZSP-AIT: Support the workers struggle at Amazon.com Poland

Dear Friends, Comrades & Fellow/Sister Workers, ---- Recently a group of Polish Amazon 
warehouse workers struck against unsafe working conditions and pay issues at two Polish 
fulfillment centers. The workers are contracted through Manpower, Addeco and other temp 
agencies. ---- According to the Polish Syndicalist Union (ZSP), the union the workers are 
organizing with: ---- ?The working conditions are even worse than in other countries. Not 
only the low pay and long hours. Some Amazon workers, especially those hired by agencies, 
complain of a number of problems including late payments, incorrect payments, not having 
the mandatory health insurance payments, etc. etc. There is also the matter of workers in 
one center having a higher rate than in he other.? ---- The Polish ZSP Amazon workers have 
launched an international campaign in support of their effort to change conditions at 
Amazon in Poland.

In solidarity, the Workers Solidarity Alliance (WSA) is initiating a support campaign for 
the workers week of action. Their campaign will start on Monday, January 26 and end 
Saturday, January 31st.

Please join us in endorsing this campaign and in taking action.

Below, please find campaign action details.

Yours in solidarity,


Support the struggle against abuse and for better working conditions at Amazon Poland!

We call for actions of any kind against Amazon or Manpower work agency. Besides pickets at 
Amazon or Manpower, we would also appreciate spreading articles or making any leafletting 
or postering action which would inform potential Amazon customers about the working 
conditions. We also ask for organizations and individuals to send protest letters.

The agencies Adecco and Randstad are also involved, so they may also be picketed. 
Background ZSP started union activity in Amazon with some workers in both the Sady and 
Bielany Wroclawskie fulfillment centers. Some are hired directly by Amazon and others were 
hired through Manpower, Adecco or Ranstad work agencies.

In December some people started to leave work at Amazon because not only are the working 
conditions terrible, but there were also problems with incorrect payments. A few people 
decided to organize. We started with Manpower, since the biggest problems seemed to be for 
people hired through this agency. We announced a picket at its headquarters on Dec.16, but 
before the action, Manpower contacted us trying to get us to call off actions. They paid 
one of the workers overdue salary. We still went with a picket and have been discussing 
with them. Some other payments have been made but Manpower has not acted quickly for all 
the cases. We also picketed Adecco, which also tried to get us to call off actions, but 
they made payments very quickly and went to Amazon to straighten out the situation. For 
this reason, we decided focus on Manpower. However, later we heard of more cases of abuse 
from the side of Adecco, including not paying the obligatory health insurance payments. So 
although we originally made the appeal only for actions against Manpower, there are still 
serious problems with Adecco and Randstad and pickets there would also be welcome. The 
situation is still pending and we have new information all the time. We expect new 
problems to appear in January, when workers should get money for December. We believe that 
the problem may originate with Amazon, but the agencies are still responsible to ensure 
proper payments.

As more and more complaints are appearing, check for updates and more information here: 
http://zsp.net.pl/zsp/english

WORKING CONDITIONS

Stressful, high-pressure work, non-stop running around warehouse. 10.5 hour shifts ? 10 
hours of work plus unpaid 30 minute lunch break. No other breaks. Changing shifts, workers 
have to work 18:30-05:00 half of their working time. Night shifts and Sunday work not paid 
extra. Salary ? about 3 euros an hour gross. The warehouses in Poland serve mostly the 
German market, but also France and UK. Workers get about ? of the salaries in Germany for 
the same job. Working conditions vary in Amazon but in UK workers make more money at night 
and in many countries employees have additional 15-minute breaks. Not in Poland. Many 
workers have to travel more than 1 hour to get to work. Workers in Sady near Poznan are 
paid more than the workers in Bielany Wroclawskie for the same work.

PROBLEMS WITH WORK AGENCIES

Workers feel they were misled about working conditions when recruited through Manpower and 
Adecco. They were led to believe they would earn more money. They are not explained about 
the fact that they wouldn?t get extra pay for evenings and Sundays and, according to some 
workers, they were promised the statutory 20% extra. According to the law, workers should 
received their salaries no later than on the 10th day of the month after the work was 
completed, but the payments have been regularly late. For example, both Adecco and 
Manpower have promised us that some payments for work in October and November would be 
paid ? but only in January.

UPDATES

Workers at Amazon have a communication forum where ZSP union published articles about 
rights at work. We now receive dozens of reports about new problems. Workers did not 
receive money for time they were at health and safety training or for days when they were 
employed but Amazon did not assign them work. For some workers this was as long as 3 
weeks. In both cases they are entitled to pay.

Workers are forced to move large boxes filled with books manually by cart. There have been 
cases where the agencies have not paid the social security payments /health care so they 
are not insured in case of injury.

DEMANDS

FROM AMAZON

Higher rates of pay for work at night and on Sunday

15 minute paid break

No difference in working conditions for directly employed and agency workers

Equalization of salaries in Sady and Bielany Wroclawskie

Payment for time without assigned work (postojowe)

Payment for health and safety training

Forklifts for heavy weights



FROM MANPOWER

Clear explanation of working time and accounting period to workers before they sign contract

Clear pay slips, showing number of hours worked and all deductions

Payments made in full by 10th of the month, in accordance with the law

Payments to ZUS (social security/health care) on time

Payment for time without assigned work (postojowe)

Payment for health and safety training

Money for laundry equivalent (which figures on payslip, but isn?t paid)



Fax/Email To Amazon

An email form will be set up for individual protests at

amazon.zsp.net.pl We ask organizations supporting to send letters

separately.

Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon

jeff@amazon.com

Director of Operations, CEE, Kerry Person

kerry.person@amazon.com

Fax: +352 26 73 33 32 or +1 206 622-2405

We support the campaign of the ZSP for better working conditions in Amazon Poland! No to 
exploitation and taking advantage of cheap labour! Give the workers a break and higher wages!

To Manpower

US Headquarters

Ania.Waszkiewicz@manpowergroup.com

Fax. 1 (414) 319-3401

Warsaw Office

Fax: + 48 22 50 40 717

manpowergroup@pl.manpowergroup.com

We support the demands of workers in Amazon Poland to receive their payments correctly and

on time from your agency!

Manpower earns off the precarious situation of Amazon workers!

Locations of Amazon

http://www.amazon.jobs/search-location

http://www.amazon.com/Locations-Careers/b?ie=UTF8&node=239366011

Locations of Manpower

http://www.manpowergroup.com/wps/wcm/connect/manpowergroup-en/home/about/globaloperations#.VKPAUSuG_3s

http://ideasandaction.info/2015/01/zsp-ait-support-workers-struggle-amazon-com-poland/