At the offices we picketed, the majority of the people are IT workers, performing jobs for Roche worldwide and earning only a fraction of what IT workers would make in other countries. In addition, Roche uses various forms of external contracting to get workers whom they don't have to pay benefits to. They are not providet by temporary agencies (which, although offering precarious work are at least regulated by the law) but by private "firms" or fake businesses which just bill Roche so that these employees are not on their books. By doing this, Roche does not have to give them the same notice of termination or severance pay, does not offer paid holidays or sick leave, maternity or paternity payments and does not even pay their social security contributions.
The picket drew massive attention from the employees who stopped to listen. After some time, the head of HR and the „workers' representative” from Roche invited our comrade in to talk. They admitted that the company had received many emails and faxes and that the whole situation was being discussed but they maintain their line and claims that none of the scores of outsourced workers there are really their workers. In response to a legal case brought against them, the company claimed that they were not Jakub's bosses, that they don't know why he came to work 40 hours a week and that he was free to take vacation or other leave whenever he wanted.
With this, we would like to inform the „non-workers” of their rights. Independent contractors do not have to take orders from a Roche boss in the way employees do. So - just ignore those mouths. If you were an independent contractor (we know you AREN'T, but IF YOU WERE), you wouldn't have to be there 40 hours or beg the boss for a vacation day - never mind being available to pick up your mobile on that vacation! So, feel free non-workers! Take that day off, just stay in bed, no need to even call in!
WORKERS AND NON-WORKERS - YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!
ORGANIZE!
