A ROW has broken out over the treatment of Polish workers by Woolworth's.
The Transport and General Workers Union - T&G - claims staff who came from Poland to work at the shopping chain's Rochdale distribution centre had money deducted from their wages without agreement, were put up in poor quality accommodation and had to pay for safety clothing at work.
Woolworth's adamantly denies the allegations, insisting they have a "good and productive relationship" with the staff in question.
There are 18 Polish employees at Castleton in Rochdale. They were brought to Britain through a Halifax-based company called Resource Recruitment after presentations in Poland by senior Woolworth's representatives.
Dossier
But the T&G claims the hours of work, the pay, the terms of employment and the accommodation provided do not meet with what they expected.
Union officials are compiling a dossier on the case. They plan to take Woolworth's and Resource Recruitment to an employment tribunal.
William O'Neill, a solicitor working for the T&G, is taking statements from some of the Polish workers.
Mr O'Neill, of Manchester-based solicitors Rowlands, said: "These workers were recruited and promised certain terms and conditions. We are saying that those conditions have not been honoured.
"They have been treated differently in the workplace to the English workers, which may be an issue of discrimination. And they have not had the hours of work or the accommodation they were led to expect.
Promised
"The T&G has tried to resolve these issues through grievance procedures but that has not worked, so they are now instructing us to commence proceedings.''
A spokesman for Woolworth's and Resource issued a lengthy statement denying the union's allegations. They said concerns that had been raised had been dealt with.
The statement said that the pay was exactly what was promised when the staff were recruited. They admitted that in the past money had been deducted if staff were off work but this was no longer the case.
Among the allegations is that staff pay £60 a week for accommodation and that for a time they shared four to a room in a Wigan hotel.
Resource said that there was "no evidence" that workers shared four to a room and they had been in a hotel because they had arrived in Britain earlier than expected.
The Woolworth's statement said that they were satisfied that "good, comfortable accommodation" was provided.
Resource accepted that rented accommodation was in short supply for a time because they were let down by two landlords. Woolworth's said that after complaints, they made it clear the minimum accommodation standards expected.
They also accepted that a deposit was taken for clothing worn at work. But they said it had been refunded to the workers by Resource "as a gesture of goodwill" after a request from Woolworth's.
Presentations
Bartosz Jaskiewicz, 25, one of the workers living in Rochdale, said: "We were told we would come here, live in good accommodation and have lots of work and earn good money. This was all told to us at presentations in Poland where senior Woolworth's people were present.
"But the truth has been nothing like what we were told. I had a good job back in Poland working for a brewery which I gave up to come here because we were promised so much. Now I wish I had not come."
T&G officer Mike Thompson said: "They have shown courage in standing up for themselves." The T& G has started a petition calling on Woolworth's to treat the Polish workers better.
It has been signed by some of the English workers who work alongside the Poles at Castleton.
T&G members will also demonstrate outside the England v Poland World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford tomorrow.
Would you have complained about such conditions? Have your say.
(Click below for the Woolies response...)
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Matt Finish, Manchester (11/10/2005 at 12:20)
They expect us to support them, but employ foreign workers at the expence of our own people. Talk about biting the hand that feeds them.
Tez, Manchester (11/10/2005 at 12:29)
Craig, Manchester (11/10/2005 at 12:58)
Rach, Crumpsall (11/10/2005 at 15:02)
Max Cash, Cayman Islands (11/10/2005 at 15:13)
It may be that woolworths have in the past made mistakes, it appears that they have tried to rectify them.
What exactly did these poles expect when they arrived here, Penthouses in Prestbury, accomodation, like everything else has to be paid for wether you're Polish or British or anything else.
When you migrate to a foreign country, it makes sense (unless you're rich) to share accomodation until such time as you can improve your lot, it seems to me that it's the union stirring things up here, not the workers, and without wishing to sound like a racist (but I'm sure the tree huggers will be about soon to castigate me for my expression of free speech) do we really have enough jobs to give away to other member states.
It would be interesting to know how many brits are rushing to live in Eastern Europe, and equally interesting to find out what terms and conditions are being offered??
Richard lettes (11/10/2005 at 15:18)
Jonathan, Stockport (11/10/2005 at 15:51)
Gone are the days of hard graft for many, so where else can we find people to do the work. Ah, Poland! I welcome them with open arms.
Anon, Anon (11/10/2005 at 16:10)
I work hard all week and there are a group of polish guys who live near me who do nothing but make noise all through the night when you are trying to get to sleep needless to say none of them work?? Why have they come over?? Where are they getting there money from????
Barry Johnson, Rochdale (11/10/2005 at 16:14)
Alan, Rochdale (11/10/2005 at 16:26)
George, Canada (11/10/2005 at 16:40)
Ace Riley, manchester (11/10/2005 at 17:31)
joan, oldham (11/10/2005 at 17:57)
But would our agency recruite english workers to work in the conditions these people are asked to work under especially when they were recruited with false promises ?
If the union had not stepped in these people would have been walked all over because lets face it the employers are only bringing them over for cheap labour and nothing more it has nothing to do with not being able to get english workers its all about MONEY
Sheila, Liverpool (11/10/2005 at 18:13)
As for the Union representative(s) that must have spent absolutely ages stoking these fires in people to get them roaring like this - perhaps if as much time and effort had been put into actually working, rather than bitching about the people that pay their wages, organising petitions and talking to anyone that would listen - Woolies wouldn't have had to outsource as much of its work....
Billy, Monton (11/10/2005 at 19:25)
Simon, Burnage (11/10/2005 at 19:33)
Alan, Oldham (11/10/2005 at 19:41)
Andy, Wythenshawe (11/10/2005 at 20:07)
The big companies ( like Woolworths ), can wash their hands of all responsiblities for them, and leave it up to the money grabbing agencies.
Also the fact that many migrants will do as they are told and not question health and safety issues,also most are not union members.
The use of cheap migrant labour is out of control, its also used on the railways, and in hospitals.
Two sets of workers are being abused here, the polish workers, and the U.K workers who will see their rights eroded as more migrants are willing to accept inferior pay and conditions.
steve griffiths, manchester (12/10/2005 at 09:20)
what is the difference between uk workers going on working holidays where accomadation is shared eg like auf wedersein pet.
i am against bad conditions but they do have the choice.
it is just a shame that so many uk workers don't want to any more as many can claim more on benefits.
Polish ancestry, Swinton (12/10/2005 at 09:44)
Craig, Mancheter (12/10/2005 at 12:24)
Woolies worker, northwest (12/10/2005 at 14:41)
If you check local (rochdale,oldham etc areas)there are people out of work.
People who have worked for woolies as temps in the past were told by the agency that Polish workers get the priority for work, because woolies have told them so!
So people from local areas are out of work!
Polish people at least have some hours guaranteed but ENGLISH workers (from all back grounds who are UK resident)are mostly on day-to-day basis workers!
Woolies motto is...
MAKING FAMILIES SMILE!
Lucy, Anon (12/10/2005 at 16:17)
I wonder if we tried to move abroad would we get this treatment???
Nope dont think so they would look at our applications and say no they are english leave them where they are.
My sister is a nurse and had been qualifeid many years and a few years ago wanted to go to America nursing, she sent off application after application for one thing and another and after about 8 months of too-ing and fro-ing with the American agency she was in touch with who just kept on wanting more documents and forms coming back that needed to be done again she gave up. what a joke!!
when applications come in for people to move into this country i dont even think they look at them they just agree, some of these people are not even coming over to work just to scrounge we have enough scroungers of our own thankyou we dont need any shipping over, and maybe we wouldnt have as many scourngers if so many people from other countries weren't coming over and taking the jobs!!
Anon, Anon (12/10/2005 at 20:19)
Steve, Oldham (13/10/2005 at 13:17)
Having worked in the industrial labour market for some years I can assure you that the main reason for using foreign labour in this field is down to 1 factor - that Polish (and other Eastern European workers) WANT to work.
Having not had state handouts (in their home countries) to rely on for survival they have had to adopt a strong work ethic compared to those of many (albeit not all) unskilled or semi-skilled workers in the UK.
Employers appreciate this as it improves their productivity and they also know that their sickness and lateness levels will drop dramatically by employing people who actually want to work - rather than employing a person who simply wants to earn enough to see them through the week in strong lagers & alcopops or dare I say it, until the next giro arrives.
In addition, large companies
such as Woolworths are also accountable to their shareholders. Having flexible labour at hand is now unfortunately a reality with many businesses staffing to minimum levels and utilising contract labour as a buffer during their peak trading periods.
Such labour pools rarely have contracts of employment with the end user which again is a benefit to these businesses in that they can (within reason) 'switch labour on & off' at little or no cost and without costly contractual obligations.
Sadly a lot of the people who sit & say 'they're taking our jobs' are the same people who would not be willing to work for the kind of money & conditions the foreign workers are often employed under.
The critics are often also the kind of people who will happily sign on once a week rather than go an do an honest days work !
So rather than mock these people, take stock of what they are trying to achieve - ie fair treatment for all - and when they achieve it (which they no doubt will) applaud them for having the backbone to do something about it whilst you sat in your comfy armchair
and criticised them for taking that job you were never going get off your bum and do !!