ZSP Warsaw

More Protests against ACTA

2012-01-27T22:08:00.009+01:00

For the last few das, angry anti-ACTA protests have taken place around Poland. Each day, thousands of people come out to protest, despite -10 and -20 degree temperatures. In Warsaw we have been active in the protests, moving them throughout the street and lending some radical slogans. Tonight thousands marched with us through Warsaw in another spontaneous demo. People shouted mostly anti-government slogans, throwing firecrackers and lighting some flares. At this demo, when some politicians showed up, they were chased away by the crowd. The police did not intervene.

These are some of the most widespread protests we have seen in years in Poland. We suppose that a lot of people are just angry and this was an issue that somehow sparked people to mobilize. Below are some photos and videos about the protests.

About protests:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16757611
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrvV2BDbmE8

"Nie dla ACTA", "Rząd to spam - skasuj go"

Protest against ACTA

2012-01-25T13:07:00.000+01:00

On January 24 people protested in Warsaw against ACTA, which would impose more regulations on the internet. The PM declared that Poland would sign the act on January 26. Similar protests took place in many cities throughout Poland, organized by internet users. Over the weekend, various government websites were also hacked.

In Warsaw we decided that the stationary rally should move, so a spontaneous demonstration took place. People were very angry and called for more sabotage of government sites and action. More protests are expected before the signing of the act.

Action at Roche Poland

2012-01-21T11:05:00.000+01:00

On January 20 we organized a picket and informational action at the headquarters of Roche in Warsaw. The protest was related to the firing of our colleague and also to the firms "employment" practices in general. Roche does not want to hire workers on normal, indefinite working contracts and uses many fictitiously self-employed people in its offices here in Poland. These people are not protected by the labour code in any way, they have to make their own social security payments, do not get paid vacation or sick leave, maternity or paternity leave, are not covered by statutory regulations concerning dismissal.

The Polish labour code clearly identifies what constitutes employment in a company and this is regardless of what kind of contract the company concludes with the worker. There is a very high incidence of avoidance of employment contracts in Poland, using incorrect types of contracts such as contracts for specific work or forcing workers to establish their own companies. The ZSP has been campaigning against the improper use of "trash contracts" for some time and now we are also trying to raise awareness of the problems related to fictitious self-employment.

When workers sign civil contracts instead of employment contracts, they may be dismissed easily and without reason and their liability in case of damages is not limited in the same way. Roche dismissed our colleague and tries to deny the existence of a long-term employment relationship with him; we are campaigning for his reinstatement and the legal recognition of his employment status, with all benefits which were due to him.

Furthermore, it was the feeling of the worker and our union that the dismissal may have really been related to his activism as the company was satisfied with his work and even offered to regulate his employment status. This was in the process when the worker was dismissed.

We will continue with the campaign and hope that it will help other workers with similar problems.

Blockade Action Successful

2012-01-17T13:53:00.001+01:00

The Tenants´ Defense Committee is continually shocked and appalled by the heartless and cruel practices of landlords and the state, which flagrantly fails to care for those in need. The Committee, ZSP and other friends - squatters, "indignants" and some left activists - all moved to block the actions of a bailiff against a terminally ill woman, fighting to keep a roof over her head in the middle of winter.

The facts are sad: the woman has cancer and is terminally ill. She has 3 children, the youngest 7 and 10 years old and cannot work. She is living on alimony and some small payments from social services. But the fact is that the social payments are never enough to cover most people's basic expenses and the woman fell into debt. This woman was not a tenant, but was in a housing cooperative and, when she fell behind on her payments, the cooperative sold the flat out from under her.

In such cases, there should be municipal or social housing available, so that a person like that and her family do not wind up in the street. Not in Warsaw since it is a city and even state policy to divest in public housing, selling off, privatizing or destroying existing assets and building at a very low rate that doesn't even cover a part of the housing lost, never mind begin to address with the real social need. For such people, the only future is the street.

It is still illegal to evict people out into the street with nowhere to go in the winter. That doesn't mean that landlords don't do it regularly. Owners also have different ways to achieve the same effect. For example, it is illegal to evict them, but not illegal to come and change their locks. Which is what a lot of them do, achieving the same effect. Or they cut off heat, gas, electricity, water... In this case, the owners sent the bailiff to change the locks. Also "somebody" called the electricity water, posing as the inhabitant of the flat, claiming that they would like the electricity turned off. Of course, this was false information to the electric company. The activists blocked the bailiff, but then met the worker from the electric company. After explaining that nobody living there actually requested the electricity be turned off and explaining that this is a common form of harrassment, the man from the electric company also left.

In the meanwhile, we will now try to get this woman into some decent housing and get some help. We remind the city that we know exactly where the city is keeping empty flats and we have no reservations about taking public property out of the mismanagement of the bureaucrats and corrupt administration and promoting its use by those who really need it.

Article from mainstream media (Polish): http://warszawa.gazeta.pl/warszawa/1,34862,10976659,Przegonili_komornika__Nie_przejal_lokalu_z_mieszkancami.htm

Protest at Adecco in Solidarity with Strikers

2012-01-17T13:25:00.000+01:00

On January 16, the ZSP held another picket in solidarity with the strikers from Eulen-ABB in Cordoba who began an indefinite strike on November 28, 2011. The workers have been replaced by new ones from Adecco, who play the role of strike breaker in this conflict and which in general plays the role of providing staff for business which they can dispose of any time.

All of the striking workers have been fired by Eulen, the company they were outsourced from. The workers are demanding that they be given permanent contracts in ABB or at least are given the jobs that have been outsourced to Adecco.

Encounter with the Slumlord and his Little Prince

2012-01-14T15:51:00.001+01:00

On Friday the 13th, we went to the court case of JB, a housing activist who the infamous slumlord Marek Mossakowski and his little helper, Hubert "Prince" Massalski, are trying to evict.

It is this infamous pair who were the landlords of the murdered activist, Jolanta Brzeska and who are responsible for harrassing and evicting tenants in various buildings they have "acquired".

Part of the problem is the mafia-like behaviour of the authorities, who do everything to privatize buildings. In the case of this building, only part of it was acquired and is administered by the dastardly duo - the rest in still owned by the city. In cases like this, the city usually does not say that the tenants who live in the property that was reprivatized (usually specific flats in the building) are the tenants of the new owners, but they usually let those people administer the whole building and collect any rents they want! JB is arguing that since his flat is owned by the city, M&M are not his landlords.

Would seem logical, no? Well, not in Poland. Because the system is rigged from beginning to end. It is shocking that, while Mossakowski has many properties throughout Warsaw, the city lets him live in municipal housing - while evicting hundreds or poor families every year! And recently, when tenants in one house were taken to court by Mossakowski, the court decided that he was "too poor" to afford the court fees, and waived them for the slumlord. (By contrast, our comrade fired from multinational Roche found that his court fees as an unemployed person still totalled 1500 euros, just to file the case.) Something stinks and it stinks of corruption and social injustice.

During the court case, the Little Prince cried about the fact that somebody tried to take his photo outside the court and falsely claimed that he was "attacked" by JB during the last trial. Afterwards. he called the security and court police on our comrade for allegedly trying to take his picture. And he claimed to the comrade that he knows who he is and where he lives.

As we told him, there is no need to have his photo since he has already been on TV and has his photo on the internet, most famously on the page of the ZSzP. Not to be confused with our organization, the ZSzP is a band of people with illusions of grandeur - the Union of the Polish Nobility. It is there where people still claim to be gentry and Massalski calls himself a prince, apparently oblivious to the fact there is no monarchy in Poland. But that doesn't stop those people from trying to act that way.

After being detained for the security for a little while, the comrade was able to leave.

Picket at Adecco Headquarters in Solidarity with Eulen-ABB Strikers

2012-01-14T14:50:00.000+01:00

Having learnt of the dismissal of all the striking workers from the ABB factory in Cordoba, ZSP decided to make a solidarity action the next day. This time we went to the headquarters of Adecco temp agency in Poland, to denounce their role in undermining the workers' struggle. Adecco replaced the old Eulen staff at the ABB factory.

We informed Adecco about why we came and handed out leaflets informing about the conflict in Spain and also criticizing the role of temporary work agencies in the decline of working conditions.

Since some foreigners work in that and some neighbouring buildings, we also produced an English-language version of the leaflet: http://www.zsp.net.pl/adecco-leaflet

Roche's Crap Dismissal ... Enough Avoiding Responsibility at the Multinational

2012-01-12T14:51:00.000+01:00

On December 19, Roche Poland (the pharmaceuticals company) got rid of an activist of the ZSP Warsaw by dismissing him without any reason.The dismissal came on the first day after a large article with the comrade appeared in the main newspaper. Although no real reason was given, it is largely felt that this decision was related to his work in the union.

Our friend is fighting for his reinstatement, but not only. He is also fighting for the recognition of his status as employee and all benefits owed to him. Because in Poland, work without a normal contract is a normal policy of Roche. In fact, the worker, who was trying to establish his legal working relationship with the company, was told that he would be the last person ever employed on an indefinite contract.

Roche has many workers on temporary contracts but also a large number of irregularily employed staff that are ficticiously self-employed. The employees should start a business and bill Roche through an intermediary company; this is in order to avoid paying them what they should according to the law: paid vacation, sick days, paid maternity and paternity leave, social security benefits and severance pay are what a big part of Roche workers are being denied by the pharmaceutical giant.
At the same time, in 2010-2011, Roche received large subsidies from the Polish government in order to “create jobs”.

ZSP announced that it will fight for the comrade's reinstatement and the recognition of his employment status, as well as inform every member of staff and the wider public of their rights. Although this is a huge problem in Poland, labour organizations fail to deal with the fake self-employed or illegally assigned and they are discriminated against in many ways legally.
Poland now leads the EU in the number of workers employed on “trash contracts” and the percentage of employment by temp agencies grew by nearly 40% in 2011. For workers under 30, fewer than 20% can be said to be normally employed. However none of these statistics even include the fictitious self-employed, who are simply “businesses”. It is estimated that Poland also has the highest number of “businesspeople” in Europe.

Funeral of Jolanta Brzeska

2012-01-04T15:02:00.000+01:00

On Jan. 3, over 10 months after her brutal murder, Jolanta Brzeska was finally buried.

The authorities, who have been hindering everything related to the case for months had finally agreed to release her remains from the morque.

A procession took place from her house through the streets and finally people went on buses to the cemetary.

Almost one year after the murder, the situation for tenants is worse than ever. The city authorities and landlords feel that they are untouchables. To make matters worse, they even decided to fine certain participants for demonstrating after her death. One of these cases became a criminal case and should be decided in court on January 17.

Protest at the Kazakh Embassy

2011-12-24T14:58:00.001+01:00

The ZSP protested the slaughter in Kazakhstan in front of the embassy in Warsaw. We strongly condemn the state violence against the people, starting with authorities trying to clean the strike of protesting workers, and advocate social revolution to get rid of the bosses and tyrants.

Just slightly a week after the anniversary of the imposition of martial law in Poland, we made the comparison of how these two states dealt with social unrest by cold blooded murder and repression.
We condemn the imposition of martial law in Kazakhstan and support all those resisting it!

Finally we hope that people will make the struggle against the authoritarian, nepotistic and corrupt government of Kazakhstan also into a struggle against the state and capital in general. Because capitalism is as great a tyranny as any other.

ZSP looks for owner of shady work agency, warns about safety on construction sites

2011-12-17T19:43:00.000+01:00

ZSP continues to inform the public about the case of Karol M., who is still in a coma after an accident at work and warn them about the work agency "Jerzy Madziarowicz- MIX". The boss of the agency, which hires people for construction work, claimed that Karol was not even working for him after the accident happened. Karol, who was working without an proper safety equipment, was left in a coma, without insurance. The agency claims that it has absolutely no responsibility.

Unfortunately we cannot seem to locate Madziarowicz. On Saturday morning we went to his house with a picket but we still have not found him. A young woman there called the police on us because we taped a leaflet to the house. We had an interesting discussion with the police how it is that they came so quickly to intervene because we taped a leaflet while they did practically nothing when Karol's distressed family went to them about the accident, lack of proper building safety, failure to report the accident, etc. etc. We were warned not to "harass" anybody.

While leafleting nearby we encountered other construction workers without the proper safety equipment and we had some conversations. Typically these are poor people from towns where there is no work, looking for any job they can get. And we found out that some also had problems with payment. We pointed out that what happened with Karol can happen with anyone, so better get organized.

Okrzejówki Brigades patrol and we make more protests

2011-12-16T19:25:00.003+01:00

The Okrzejowki Brigades have been patrolling Praga for a week, checking the houses, talking to anybody who is still up in the late hours of the night. We have encountered many interesting things.
(See photos below.)

For example, we wonder how on earth the arsonist got into the last building set on fire. It is one of the rare public housing buildings where there is a domophone. The only person who could have done it is somebody with access to the building. The same is true of several other cases, for example where there were fires in locked basements, but no signs of breaking in.

We encountered lots of fire hazards. Among the problems that the tenants have is that many buildings have lots of wooden elements, especially staircases. In case of a fire, exit would be difficult. Our colleague made a fuss about this 2 years ago and a TV station confronted the head of the local administration about this, who scandalously said that tenants can "go out the windows". Despite the fact that there are clear laws about fire safety in Poland, the city doesn't give a damn because it is untouchable. Whereas an employer would be fined or shut down for keeping such conditions (flammable materials in open spaces, no fire extinguishers, no evacuation plans) and could be criminally liable is something happened, the city knows that no court in Poland would be anything against its bureaucrats.

We went to the local council and made a riot about the fires. They promised they'd do "something". We later found that there are two security guards now posted - in back of one building which was burnt and where nobody lives now. This instead of patrolling or being where some people live. What's more, they don't even watch that building. We found them sleeping at only midnight and, despite the fact that we entered the nearby buildings, called out to each other and took their photos with flashes, they were still sound asleep and oblivious to our presence. This is how the incompetent bureaucrats deal with deadly problems with our tax money.

We have been making loads of photos. Open windows in basements, broken locks, piles of wood left in the houses, open electricity boxes and hanging cables - all these things are clear fire hazards.

We went to the City Council and confronted them. Instead of any ideas, they decided to celebrate Christmas early and arranged a banquet (again on our taxpayer money).

So we say to the neighbours: these our your good-for-nothing politicians, who only stuff their faces on your money and leave you to burn in your beds at night. The only thing that should burn down in our neighbourhood are their offices.

These guys are supposed to be protecting the neighbourhood from the arsonists.

Probably someone is making money off this contract, but not the workers.

All the fires have been set in the attics or basements. It's rather easy to get in some of them. There are no locks on most doors in city housing. Anybody can walk in from the street. Note that the basement and staircase are made from wood.

At the fire department.

Many basements and attics are full of wood.

Some people use it for heat in the winter, some people have gas canisters.

There is no heat in 90% of such houses in the neighbourhood. In addition to the arsons, some fires happen by accident every winter.

People heat this way because they cannot afford electric heating - and it is freezing.

There are many holes. Not only can a fire be set, but water goes into basements this way. And rats.

Cables all over.

Note the lovely condition of public housing. This is the result of years of corruption and neglect.

Typical state of electricity boxes.

200,000 people still live in public housing in Warsaw. Despite the grave situation, social protests are still small. However we are determined to raise resistance in the neighbourhood.

Some popular slogans include: "Evict the politicians before they evict you" and "you can't burn us all" - a reference to the murder of Jolanta Brzeska.

In Praga, this slogan also refers to the arsons.

Solidarity Picket at ABB Polish Headquarters

2011-12-16T15:01:00.000+01:00

ZSP took part in the Day of Action in support of the strikers of EULEN-ABB. . We held an informational picket at the Polish headquarters of ABB. There we delivered a letter and gave out leaflets in the headquarters, out front and on the street. We spoke through the megaphone and people came out of the building or opened their windows to hear. The children from the nearby school also did the same. We spoke not only about the strike in Spain, but the problems of subcontracted workers in general. (And we recommend the security guards from Impel who tried to interfere would better read our articles about working conditions in that firm and the many comments of their co-workers who responded.)

The CNT EULEN-ABB workers called for action on the 15th of December. On this date, about 450 people demonstrated in Cordoba in support of the strikers.

The CNT is also collecting money for the strike fund. For bank details, write to us (is-at-zsp.net.pl) or to the CNT (exteriores-at-cnt.es).

We will try to update information about the strike in the "IWA News" section of this page.

Anarchosyndicalism is not a Crime!

2011-12-15T01:18:00.000+01:00

On Dec. 14, ZSP held an informational action at a shopping mall in Warsaw to draw attention to the working conditions in FF Mercantil factory in Brazil and to the case of Icaro Polleto from the COB-AIT, who was due in court on the same day.

Icaro was working at FF Mercantil, a sweatshop which produces mainly for the LOTTO and FINTA brands sport clothing. He was involved in trying to organize there. Workers were demanding a five-hour work week, 8-hour day, air conditioning and ventilation, extra pay for working in hazardous conditions and the right to organize.

Icaro was fired. Later he was threatened by pistoleros and now he has a court case for supposedly "slandering" the company.

Leaflets were handed out to holiday shoppers, asking them to buy responsibly and consider the working conditions things are made in. Information was given about the conditions LOTTO products are made in, what happened to our comrade and the boycott of this brand. (FINTA is not sold normally here.)

ZSP also sends its solidarity to Icaro and strongly condemns the use of slander laws as a way to scare people from talking about their working conditions.

A copy of the leaflet (in Polish) is available here.
www.lotto.zsp.net.pl

Protest in Defense of Neighbourhood, Against Arsons

2011-12-11T13:49:00.000+01:00

On December 10, there was a protest in the Praga neighbourhood against the arsons that are occuring due to gentrification efforts. The ZSP and the Tenants Defense Committee marched to the places where there were arson attacks and the people from the buildings talked about their experiences. There was a big show of support for the Brigades formed by the ZSP.

The police have confirmed that none of the fires were accidental, but all were arson attacks. Despite this, they have taken no steps to protect the neighbourhood. So many people can see what it going on and say they will resist this process.

Citizen's Militia Formed

2011-12-07T23:25:00.000+01:00

In connection to arson attacks in the Praga district of Warsaw, some members of ZSP have started a self-defense patrol with neighbours. Posters are going up warning arsonists and telling speculators and other scum to keep their hands off our neighbourhood.

The group is named "Okrzejówki", after Stefan Okrzeja, workers' activist and socialist, executed in 1905. He was one of the main people in the socialists' combat organization. His group of ten attacked high-ranking tsarist police officers and officials. He bombed the tsarist police station in Praga but was caught and executed.

One of the main streets in Praga, which is now in the center of gentrification, is named after Okrzeja. Although Okrzeja was a socialist militant and the right changed the name of most streets named after socialists, this street kept the name, because he was also appreciated as an anti-tsarist.

YOU CAN'T BURN US ALL!

2011-12-06T22:08:00.004+01:00

On the night – early morning of December 6, three buildings were set on fire, one after another, in the Praga neighbourhood. In each case, somebody went into the basement and started a fire.

In one house live two of the founders of the Tenants Defense Committee. It was at a meeting of neighbours in front of this house that we first met. Now the residents of the building are terrorized. In another house live tenants who were fighting for their building. A few of our friends were hospitalized but will be OK.

(The man speaking in the microphone and the woman in the wheelchair were victims of arson last night. They had to be taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation but will be OK.)

It is very clear that given the fact that the city and developers did not manage to evict everybody from the neighbourhood yet, it has come to these acts of terrorism. Older residents now say that was Hitler and the Nazis did not manage to do – destroy Praga – is now being done by the city and that these fires are something like a „final solution” to the problem of troublesome tenants.

We absolutely refuse this terrorism and will organize to fight back and defend ourselves. Arsonist beware: we are now on the lookout for you and your asses will be burnt if we see you.

We will not wait until there is another Jola Brzeska, another person killed by „persons unknown”.

Already we are mobilizing for action.

For those who speak Polish, you can watch or listen to some interviews about the arsons:

http://www.tvnwarszawa.pl/informacje,news,mieszkancy-nie-wierza-w-przypadkowe-pozary,337136.html

http://www.tvnwarszawa.pl/informacje,news,trzy-pozary-na-pradze,337504.html

http://www.tvp.pl/warszawa/informacyjne/kurier-warszawski/wideo/06122011/5806125

http://warszawa.gazeta.pl/warszawa/1,34862,10772483,Praga__mieszkancy_nie_wierza_w_przypadkowe_pozary.htm

http://www.se.pl/wydarzenia/warszawa/na-pradze-grasuje-podpalacz_217241.html

http://www.radiokolor.pl/wiadomosci/3979/Trzy_pozary_na_Pradze_Polnoc

http://www.radiokolor.pl/wiadomosci/3981/Mieszkancy_Pragi_protestuja

Action against Shady Temp Agency and Campaign with Building Workers

2011-12-05T22:16:00.001+01:00

Karol M. has been in a coma since November 3. That's when he had an accident at his construction job in Warsaw. To the horror of his family, it turned out that Karol was never given any contract by the work agency "Jerzy Madziarowicz MIX". The boss did not report the accident at work and went he was called by the police, he claimed that Karol did not work for him.

Karol has no insurance. He may never be able to work again. And Madziarowicz is trying to avoid responsibility. ZSP has started an action against the agency. The first step was to try to collect evidence that the agency is functioning and hiring people, with or without contracts. Now there is the task, which is not easy in Poland, of getting compensation for Karol.

Madziarowicz can expect a visit from us and should understand that we have been speaking to other people who have worked for him.

In the meanwhile, we began an information campaign to warn other workers about this shady agency. Not only the way they hire people for shitty construction jobs, but also a lack of safety, working on building sites which don't conform to standards and procedures, late payments ...
Besides this, once again we bring up the topic of illegal work and workers rights. This time in particular we would like to point out basic information about health and safety. Even when this is a small site or there are few people employed there, the bosses still have clear obligations. In addition, if serious accidents occur, certain procedures have to be followed and the accident has to be declared to the authorities.

Many workers are confused about their rights, especially on small sites or when they work for subcontractors, agencies or on mandate contracts. Then the bosses usually all try to claim that somebody else is responsible, or they have no responsibility at all. We have published some articles and leaflets explaining what rights workers have and what they should do if they encounter problems.

Against Gentrification, Evictions and Arson in Praga

2011-12-04T18:09:00.001+01:00

On December 4 there was a picket held in front of a landmark building in the Praga district which is about to be destroyed to build a luxury neighbourhood. We went there to add a social element to the protest, to speak about gentrification and speak about the problem of arson, most probably by the gentrifiers.

Most of Warsaw was destroyed during the war by the nazis, except for the Praga district. Therefore it has some of the oldest buildings in the city. But it also was neglected by the city, which now is selling it off to developers and trying to get rid of municipal tenants. The building in question was built in 1860, making it one of the oldest and was famous because there used to be a Gymnasium there, where Janusz Korczak studied. It is now owned by the company Elektrim, which plans to develop a bourgeois neighbourhood in Port Praski (Praga Port), with skyscrapers, luxury buildings and a marina.

(See photos below)

What the people who fight for the preservation of the landmarks forget to mention however that it is not only about preserving the look of the neighbourhood and the buildings: there are PEOPLE involved. As it happens, the two buildings on Sierakowski St. near the entrance of the new neighbourhood have people living in it, despite the fact that the city, when it signed a contract with Elektrim company, wrote that it had no tenants.

The landmark lovers sometimes forget that people live in these places!

Of course the city plans to evict the people. Besides that, a fire was set in the building in question, but luckily did not cause much damage.

The landmark people did a good job of publicizing this and inviting important people to protest the planned destruction of the building and Senator Borowski appeared. Then we showed up and asked about the people living there and made them the important point of the protest. After all, we are for the preservation of important landmarks, but also we don't want them renovated and then turned into some luxury buildings.

One of the tenants told about the situation, and our colleague from the Tenants' Defense Committee told about how the city sold the buildings to developers with tenants, in violation of the law. Then we mentioned about the arson and pointed out the series of suspicious fires. Last night there was one. A few days ago, the building across our office was set on fire at about 3:30 AM. In that situation, we know that the city was trying to get rid of the tenants because they had just recently come and said they would like to organize a campaign. But somebody set a fire on their roof and now they are all dispersed in temporary shelters, just trying to get their lives together.

This is the fire on Targowa 19 a few days ago. It was set at 3:30 AM. It was set in part of the building where nobody lived and the fire department is about 50 meters away, so luckily it did not kill anyone.

This house across from our office was set on fire. Five people were hospitalized, a couple of dozen are now homeless.

Other houses in the neighbourhood have also had fires, some minor, some very serious.

That fire was number 20 on Targowa St. since the beginning of the year. It is very clear what is going on. We announced that next week we would make an action in the neighbourhood.

Such scenes are common.

After yesterday's fire, tenants still living in the front part of the building not evacuated need medical attention. 40 families were evacuated from the other part and are in temporary shelter.

That's what the developer wants the neighbourhood to look like in a few years.

Nice if you can afford it. Most people in the neighbourhood cannot.

Current view of the Praga Port

Not exactly the luxury yacht club the developers have in mind.

The developer's flags are all around the area.

Part of the Port is an undeveloped area. It houses many types of birds and animals, including fox and beavers. Below is a picture of rather rare black woodpeckers which live here. They are a protected species in Poland and are not common in cities. But they have a home here. They and other birds will also be made homeless by the development.

The landmark in question seen on an old drawing.

In the area of the port there used to be a horse market.

Disrepect and Profanation of Fascist Symbols

2011-12-03T17:31:00.001+01:00

Today in Warsaw was an action to show disrespect and to attack fascist symbols. The action was made as a response to the growing tolerance and legitimization of the far-right. A court in Warsaw allowed the group NOP (National Rebirth of Poland) to register a number of logos, including the Celtic Cross and a falange. These are now protected under law and the leader of NOP boasted that he would make a case against anybody who showed disrespect to the logos. In other words, defacing the logos is now some sort of infringement of NOP's legal rights.

NOP registered other logos as well, such as a homophobic sign of people having anal sex with a universal no symbol.

Some people decided to go out and publically show their disrespect for these symbols anyway. There was ZSP, some other anarchists, socialists and LGBT activists. People were invited to make fun of the homophobic logo by posing in a big no sign, people had signs against the NOP logos. There were some rolls of toilet paper with the falanga, NOP and other things which people could wipe their asses with.

A few groups of boneheads came, waiting to attack. More of them waited nearby to try and beat people afterwards. There were some verbal confrontations, but people made fun of their stupid slogans and continued to detourn and destroy the fascist symbols. Some photos are below.

Picket at Greek Embassy in Warsaw

2011-12-02T15:51:00.000+01:00

On Dec. 2, there was a picket at the Greek embassy in Warsaw against capitalist exploitation, austerity measures, repression and other attacks on working people in Greece. The picketers demanded to speak to somebody in the Greek embassy, except one they claimed that nobody there spoke Polish. We replied that it doesn't matter ... statements were read and there were different speeches, slogans and demands in various languages, with even a touch of Greek. After all, we reminded them that we know the word "anarchy" very well.

The protesters also the demanded release of prisoners.

Against Austerity Measures, the Weapon of Capital Accumulation

2011-12-01T23:34:00.000+01:00

We stand in solidarity with the people of Greece, fighting against the ploys of the ruling classes which are forcing more and more austerity measures on them. In Poland we hear the nonsense of neoliberal logic repeated again and again about how it is necessary to make cuts, as if the Greek working classes were living some life of waste and luxury. In reality, all the waste always comes from the top and it is the people who are made to pay for this. A few people get rich, while most working people get screwed.

A few facts about working life in Greece should dispel the myths of the neoliberals who try to convince people of their manipulations.

First is that in Greece, people work hard. They work on average 42 hours a week. But they do not earn much. 20% of Greek workers live in poverty and most earn less than 1000 euros a month. Pensions and salaries tend to range between 50-60% of the Eurozone average. Youth unemployment is very high. This shows something: that the neoliberal polices imposed on the country already after 1992 (Maastricht treaty), have not been working to create wealth and luxury for working people. The people have been working hard and have a rather miserable pay by European standards.

Another myth the neoliberals like to tell is that Greece is just poor and underdeveloped, so it cannot afford to keep its workers in such „luxury”. If Greece is so poor, how can one explain that the assets of its monetary financial institutions increased by 250% in the last decade? It is true that at the same time, public debt was increasing, which just shows that money was being accumulated in the financial institutions and cut from public spending, creating the debt through underfinancing.

In 2008, the Greek government paid banks 106,000,000,000 euros in aid. And this is the real reason that now they are looking to cut money everywhere – because they gave a huge bailout to financial institutions. So again, the government gave public money to financial institutions and force workers to pay for it twice: once by giving the money, second by being subjected to austerity measures.

At the same time that the working classes are suffering from cuts, Greek multimillionaires are prospering. There is record wealth held by Greek tycoons in Swiss banks (600,000,000,000 euros) and the Financial and Economic Crime Unit estimates that almost as much money is being moved around in suspicious off-shore companies with Greek capital. Apparently, there is a lot of money to be made in Greece or with Greek capital– and it is quickly taken out of the country and hidden.

Thus we refuse to believe the false excuses of the establishment, which is covering up the reality of what is going on.

The problem in Greece with austerity measures is one that is effecting countries around Europe. It effects Poland as well, except here so many people have fallen for the logic of the elites that the fight is out of people. People are running away from this country instead of fighting.

Let's stand up too and fight the austerity measures in this country: cuts in health care, education, public housing, higher costs put on people so the rich can get even richer.

March 31, 2012 there will be a Day of Rage against austerity measures in Warsaw. We invite people to take part in this event. For more information, follow the page of the ZSP: www.zsp.net.pl

Comrade in Trouble for Resisting Cop Violence

2011-11-29T21:12:00.000+01:00

Today in Warsaw, a group of activists blocked a conference on fracking which was to be held in the Hotel Intercontinental. A small group of people played drums and made noise. Others went around the hotel, some made speeches against fracking and some occupied the conference room. A banner was put up in the hotel and on a nearby building. The action lasted for two hours and was successful in that the conference had to be cancelled. However the police fined the people playing music. After 2 hours, the people occupying the conference room were brutally removed by police. 11 people were arrested.

The people who made the action were activists from Syrena, the Anarchist Federation and the ZSP. One of our comrades from ZSP was fined 50 euros for making noise and 2 were arrested. One was already released but unfortunately the other one is charged with assaulting a police officer. (Ie, her brutal arrest did not go so smoothly for the cops). Tomorrow the prosecutor will decide if she can be released before her trial or will have to stay in custody. A solidarity picket will be held tomorrow and of course, if she is not released, we will make some stronger protest campaign.

A solidarity protest was held in front of the police station today.

We are concerned that the authorities are currently looking for some scapegoats since every day since Nov.11 there are news items about violent anarchists and the right wing and media are trying hard to build this image. In reality, the bigger problem is with the police - for example, in the station where the comrades were held, they often beat people, and they beat people on Nov. 11. And they can be brutal during arrests and we understood this is what happened when the police intervened today. The activists making the occupation were peaceful, which we will show since we are compiling video and photographic evidence of these events.

Direct Action Stops Landlord Harrassment

2011-11-27T09:37:00.000+01:00

Last week some of us went on a direct action against a landlord who has been harassing tenants to get them to move out of their flats. The landlord cut off water to tenants some months ago, which is against the law, but the tenants could not get any help. The building is located directly next to a police station but the people soon found out what happens if they try to get the police to intervene in such situations: absolutely nothing. In fact, there is no help for tenants anywhere inside the system - there is only direct action made by others in self-defense and solidarity.

Thanks to the appearance of a group of people on a direct action, the problem was solved on the same day and for the first time in months, the people have water. The action involved confronting the landlord at his own flat.

We hope that thanks to this story, which shows how people can immediately solve their problems instead of torturing themselves, hoping the administration will act, more people will decide to act and not hesitate in such matters.

Free the Nice Three

2011-11-27T09:16:00.000+01:00

On Nov. 25 ZSP held a picket in front of the French embassy in Warsaw to bring attention to the case of three comrades from the Spanish CNT who are in arrest in France. The three wanted to demonstrate against the G20 Summit in Cannes but were detained during preventative searches on Nov. 1. The police arrested them for bullshit reasons, because of certain items they had in their car, all of which could be normally explained - ie. they had mountain climbing equipment because they are in a mountain climbing club and were travelling near the Alps. However, the police asked many political questions and developed their theories to consider the comrades suspicious. They are supposed to remain in arrest in Nice for four months and have a ban on entering the region for 3 years.

Numerous solidarity demonstrations have been held in France and Spain demanding the release of the comrades.

A solidarity page has been made (in Spanish) http://libertadparalostresenniza.blogspot.com

Statement Around Incidents Related to November 11, Repression and Hysteria

2011-11-15T14:36:00.000+01:00

First, we would like to thank the people who came to Warsaw, especially those who travelled from abroad to show solidarity with the goal of resisting the spread of far-right manifestations. Our goal is a common one: a world where such ideas finally hit the dustbin of history, where people unite to show their opposition to the far-right, nationalism, racism and fascistic ideologies.

We also express our condemnation for many incidents around the participation of these people in the blockade.

First, we criticize the media for its role in creating hysteria, before, during and after the incidents related to November 11 regarding these people, especially regarding the German activists.

An image was created for these people from the beginning. They were presented as practically some paramilitary group. In the meanwhile, paramilitary training goes on in Poland, in the camps of the far-right, without too much notice – certainly the media forgot to create hysteria about the mobilization of such people to the capital for the 11th, instead looking for some external threat.

Second, we condemn the police and the state which empowers it for their actions. Those arrested on Nowy Swiat, mostly people who had just arrived in the city and had done nothing at all, had to spend time in jail where they were abused in different ways. Some were threatened, inappropriately searched, beaten and harassed verbally. Several incidents of police violence occurred at the police station on Wilcza St.

During the demonstrations, we also saw the police bring the LRAD, which shouldn't be used and cannot be legally used for dispersing protesters in Poland.. They used water cannons, tear gas and violence and we should note that the government is using these demonstrations as a pretext to tighten laws on demonstrations and to justify the use of stronger police force.

The increased power of the state to repress and the habits of police violence is has much in common with the fantasies of fascists.

We criticize the media which also publishes the unconfirmed and false statements of police spokesperson Mariusz Sokolowski regarding the incident. We are wondering why none of the journalists have asked the police how it is that they claim in the press that the Germans had some weapons if none of these people, who were later arrested, were charged with having any weapons. Also, how is it that the buses these people were riding on were searched 3 times, but according to Sokolowski, they appeared in Warsaw with weapons? Is Sokolowski implying that the functionaries searching the bus let it travel to Warsaw with these weapons? This version of events is clearly not credible.

Thirdly, we criticize the luminaries of the group Krytyka Polityczna. When the foreign antifascists were in Nowy Wspanialy Swiat, (the place they were arrested) a member of that group spoke with the police and then assured the foreigners that if they calmly left, they would have their IDs checked and let to the demonstration. Instead, they were arrested, harassed, threatened, beaten, have to go to court. If indeed the people at Krytyka were promised that nothing were happened but instead these people were mistreated by the police, we would expect there to be a public outcry against police abuse made by these people. Instead we only heard a weak statement of denial that any incidents occurred complaints about how the media portrayed it, without any statement about the actions of police. Further, they made every effort to distance themselves from the people arrested, relating the whole incident only to the effects on their public image, but not expressing their solidarity for the people who were jailed.

Finally, we express our strong opposition to the words of the President, Bronislaw Komorowski when commenting the presence of German antifascists in Poland. The President denied that there was a problem with fascism in Poland and went so far to say that ONR cannot be considered a fascist organization. This shows how much this is a problem in Poland.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski and other politicians commented that the presence of the German antifascists was a „disgrace” for Poland. They did not however make any comments about the large groups of people who travelled abroad to the right-wing march, such as members of Combat 18, Blood and Honor, Jobbik, Forza Nuova, 1389 or UNA-UNSO.

The neoliberal establishment, which raised an international fuss during the presidency of Lech Kaczynski about the right-wing in the government, is whitewashing and turning a blind eye to the fact that the current government is not much different. We condemn all those participating in the conspiracy of silence and making excuses for nationalist ideology in Poland.

Anti-fascist actions

2011-11-12T19:47:00.000+01:00

On November 11, ZSP in Warsaw took part in the antifascist blockade of a right-wing march. As always, we showed our opposition to the ideology of nationalism and patriotism as well as fascism and spread our texts which were also anti-capitalist and internationalist.

Many incidents took place and there were some attacks made by aggressive nationalists. The nationalists however were not alone in their march, gathering a lot of support from the right, who united with them. The support of the nationalist march became stronger due to the opposition against the liberals who dominated the mobilization. The liberal establishment seemed to enact their rage more even than the antifascists who have been fighting them for years.

The police harassed and arrested many people, but the worse of their violence was directed against the right-wing action. Water cannons were used, tear gas, which affected many people in the area. The police beat people who were just standing, hitting them in the crouch and even kicking them in the face and bringing the LRAD and other weapons that they shouldn't even have.

Again this year we did not go into the 11th of November coalition for various reasons, but we acted. We also spent the night defending our comrade's home against possible nazi attacks with many others.

Some concern was caused by the arrest of a large number of antifa from Germany – 92 people. The people ran into some trouble with fascists and decided, for whatever reason, to run into the liberal bar called Nowy Wspanialy Swiat (which we were picketing last month). As we described, some people related to this place tried to use the police against us and in the past made strong criticism against antifascists. Instead of a confrontational event, they organized something called „colorful independence” this year, focusing on getting celebrity endorsements and having hierarchical events where they figured as stars. They tried at several occasions to prevent other groups from speaking about other issues during the events, even trying to censor a talk about social exclusion. As we understand, the antifa ran into this place but later were forced out by the people at the bar and were arrested by the police. Only 5 of them managed to avoid this and we heard about this from one of them, although she doesn't know Polish and therefore cannot tell us exactly what was said or done. Whatever the situation was, we suppose that they were not very happy to have street fighting antifa in their establishment and we hope that nobody from abroad will make such a mistake again. As of writing, the arrested are still detained and we have information that a few people might have charges against them.

Below are some links to videos showing what it looked like in Warsaw yesterday.

http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/10,114927,10630151,11_11_2011_Policja_uzyla_armatek_przeciw_demonstrantom.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkAKLM3YrVc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff0aI8-qbP0

Real Revolution Now: How the Outraged Met the Indignant and how the Liberals gave up Non-Violence

2011-10-15T17:25:00.001+02:00

On Oct. 15, a protest was held in Warsaw in answer to the call by the "indignant" to have protests all over Europe. The ZSP of course is happy when there are social protests here since the general mood of apathy and resignation is intolerable.

We know some of the young people who organized the protest and were quite happy today when one of the organizers came to the microphone where we were talking and seconded our criticism of politicians, saying that parties were not welcome to promote themselves there. On the other hand, there was some criticisms of some of the postulates of the Polish indignants related to more things like funding political parties even if they do not cross a certain percent, which they felt would ensure more political pluralism. Certainly these things are worth debating and we invited people to such a debate next week.

One problematic issue for us became the involvement of the liberal elites from Krytyka Polityczna or the mainstream press which try to channel young people into a soft opposition which acts like a political elite in social dialogue with the neoliberal establishment. Recently we picketed the bar of Krytyka Polityczna about trash contracts that barstaff had there and the whole issue became quite loud, especially after one of them was ardently defending such working conditions as "normal" and the main newspaper in Poland called this ideology "right of Margaret Thatcher". Since the march of the "Polish indignants" was supposed to go past that bar, we decided we'd also make a picket there.

The march of the "indignants" started. Organized under the slogan "real democracy now", and "we are indignant" and using references to "the Spanish revolution" (in respect of the M15 movement) we brought the slogans "real revolution now" and "we are really pissed off". (In Polish the word is a little harder, but difficult to translate.) We thought we might take the opportunity to remind people of some of the postulates of the real Spanish Revolution, which included the collectivization of workplaces. So we hung a sign on the bar of Krytyka saying that "real democracy begins in the workplace, all workplaces in the hands of the workers" and calling for the collectivization of the bar.

The people from Krytyka came quite quickly to rip that down and call for help. They were particularly aggressive. Quite soon we had some problems with the police, but of course we still have a few democratic rights in Poland and can picket legally. One person was trying to get the police to do something because somebody put a sticker on the bar. Due to the presence of our modest picket, the march of the indignant was rerouted to a side street, so that the people didn't see this picket.

Quite an interesting scene occured with several members of Krytyka Polityczna. The financial director flipped out and they were trying to take our banner and signs. Eventually the financial director took one of the signs from somebody and started to beat our colleague on the head with it, even though he is probably the least aggressive person we know, was standing absolutely calmly.

One reason this was so interesting is that many people from that scene are dogmatically non-violent. At a conference held at that bar last year, there was much condemnation of anarchist antifascists who used "hate speech" against fascists marching on Nov. 11. (This referred to the fact somebody played a Chumbawamba song saying "give the fascist man a gunshot". There were also complaints about the anti-capitalist leaflets of ZSP.) Since this time, this liberal scene really pushes this non-violence stuff. Today's demo also was organized using "non-violent principles". Well, we are not really upset to see that people are ready to use violence and aggression but it is quite interesting that they could manifest such aggression to somebody standing peacefully holding a sign reading "enough trash contracts". It is sick that, when they invite horrendous neoliberal politicians to their place, they sit there politely listening to their crap when they certainly deserve that sort of reaction. But certainly that wouldn't be polite and probably if anybody acted the way that they acted to us in their bourgeois liberal salon, they would quickly be escorted out the door, perhaps by the police.

Also we could see that, although one of the most famous Polish feminists took part in confronting us, threatening to sue us and calling one comrade an "agent", unfortunately there is a problem with sexism since they would not let a female comrade talk or answer her questions, insisting only to speak to a man.

After the march of the indignants are the incident with the liberals, we are still a little more than indignant and we will continue to attempt in inform people like the young people at the march about workers' rights and issues such as trash contracts and work precarity which they are very likely to encounter for years to come.

Eviction Blockade

2011-10-14T18:37:00.000+02:00

After picketing at Ford and Plaza Centers, we went to help block and eviction together with our colleagues from the tenants' movement. The bailiff wanted to evict an old and ill woman but people blocked the corridor in front of her flat. The bailiff called the police. One comrade said that we are all witnesses to what is happening and if anything would happen to the woman because of being displaced, the police and bailiff would be responsible for her murder.

The eviction is postponed but not called off. In the meanwhile, tenant activists are demanding the woman get adequate replacement housing.

A number of the people present were helped by the Tenants' Defense Committee in their cases and, in that way, avoided eviction and got replacement housing. They were especially involved here, showing their solidarity with somebody who is in the same situation as they were just a short time ago.

Solidarity with Visteon Workers from el Puerto de Santa Maria

2011-10-14T18:15:00.001+02:00

ZSP took part in the international day of action in solidarity with the workers of Visteon Cadiz Electronica who are fighting against the closure of their factory. Our comrades from the CNT in the factory called for actions at Visteon / Ford so we visited the Ford Polska headquarters. We gave out leaflets informing about the situation; this followed some informational actions during the week which included postering and hanging info-exhibits on Ford dealerships around the city.

On the same day, workers from the factory held a rally in Jerez de la Frontera.

Unfortunately we were not able to go into Ford headquarters. We entered into the office compound and made some noise but were quickly surrounded by security guards. Since both Ford and Plaza Centers are located in the same building, we have been here numerous times in the past month, which makes it hard to get past the security. However, one comrade who went separately managed to get on the premises where he managed to distribute leaflets for quite some time.

We will continue informing about this case and send our solidarity to our comrades who are fighting!

Plaza Workers Still Waiting for Pay

2011-10-14T17:56:00.000+02:00

Last week Plaza Centers wrote a press release in response to our campaign, claiming that it has paid all its subcontractors and that they have paid the workers. However, this isn't the case - they are just trying to do some PR. While some workers have seen payment, others are still with nothing. We returned back to Plaza Centers with a picket. Our comrades will be picketing under one of their shopping malls this weekend.

In the meanwhile, comrades in Romania have found that more than one Plaza investment there is suspended, waiting financing. They also deny that they are having any big problems in that country, where they also were not able to pay for workers.

One month from now, the shopping mall in Torun should be completed, but it doesn't look like the project will be finished on time. This is due to the fact that many workers quit because of non-payment.

Solidarity with Visteon Workers against Closure of Factory

2011-10-09T17:10:00.000+02:00

Around Warsaw, posters have been hung on Ford dealerships, telling the story of the struggle of the workers at Visteon Cadiz Electronica to keep their jobs. The informational action proceeds the next international day of action against Visteon/Ford which will take place on Oct. 14. The CNT in Visteon are fighting against the closure of the factory and the redundancy plan.

The ZSP took part in the last day of action and also visited Ford headquarters a few more times. (Quite coincidentally, it is located two floors below Plaza Centers in the same building.) Members of ZSP also managed to show a solidarity banner to Jose Luis Zapatero on his recent visit to Warsaw.

More about the struggle at Visteon can be found on the page of the International Workers Association.

Tenants' Day

2011-10-02T21:30:00.002+02:00

On Oct. 2 we took part in the annual Tenants' Day march. This year we marched in Praga, where there are many tenant problems happening within a few blocks of each other. Stopping at various buildings, people told about the problems they were having there, how they were fighting back and the attitude of the state towards their situation.

Some photos are below.

We saw buildings that were obtained in shady ways and are now in the hands of private landlords who raise the rent, harass tenants and eventually evict them. We also heard stories about how buildings where people can live have been condemned so that the city can speculate on the real estate if they are in the right location, but in the meanwhile, people whose floors are collapsing under them are forced to live in hazardous conditions. Neighbours stopped and listened to the stories, the Tenants' Defense Committee encouraging people to organize and fight back.

After a walk around the neighbourhood, visiting buildings, talking with neighbours, we headed to the park for an open-air meeting. There some people told of their stories and a few people sitting in the park joined in. A member of the Committee called on people to recall the President of the City, others reminded of direct actions such as eviction blockades and the rent strike.

The day passed in a nice atmosphere, with a lot of interaction in the neighbourhood.
It is also worth noting that the Committee and representatives of 9 other building or block associations decided to organize themselves away from political vanguards, lifestylists and politicians who are not an integral part of their activity but try to make political capital on the movement, be its leaders or to buy influence with big funding. The ZSP members who are part of the Committee of course support this attitude and desire to keep the movement at the grassroots level, self-organized and self-financed.

More photos, films, here: http://lokatorzy.info.pl/dzien-lokatora-2011/

Boycott Election Actions Continue

2011-10-01T21:12:00.000+02:00

Over the past few weeks, ZSP has been calling on people to boycott elections. At least twice a week there are leafleting actions, plus posters, stickers, flyers... On Oct.1 there was a small happening as well. While songs about politicians played, people could take part in various games such as knocking over politicians or throwing balls with the names of the parties into the dustbin of history. Many people took part, some coming up and just punching or kicking the faces of various politicians.

During the action we were also visited by angry supporters of the Polish Labour Party which threatened to tear down ZSP posters since somebody pasted a boycott poster over theirs. On the other hand, we were also visited by a former supporter and employee of the leader of the party who was cheated by the boss / union and Labour Party leader and who took him to the Labour Court and won his case. He was very happy to be able to throw something at the man's face and knock him down.

ZSP argues for the building of grassroots and democratic social movements instead of voting and trying to achieve change through a political system which concentrates power in the hands of a few.

Stop Bandit Privatization!

2011-09-06T23:14:00.000+02:00

Today a large group of local residents, members of the Tenants' Defense Committee and ZSP protested in the local council in defense of our neighbours from Targowa St. whose house has been privatized.

There is not much information about the basis of the privatization. Tenants were, in the style typical of the heartless and callous Warsaw bureaucracy, informed in the first days of August that as of August 1, they were no longer municipal tenants and their rents would be raised. The city still owns part of the building, but, as in other cases, it does not want to say which flats are owned by the private owners and which by the city. It is thus forcing all tenants to pay the private rent, although the city is not allowed to charge more than a much lower legal rate for rent. It refuses to explain whether it is keeping the difference or allowing the private owner to pay it at the lower rate. In either case, the tenants are screwed.

On August 9, the tenants stormed the local real estate administration, demanding answers. The head of the administration was nowhere to be found, so tenants marched to the Neighbourhood Office and demanded to see the Mayor. They asked why the head of the administration wasn't at work (or was hiding) and demanded answers. Of course the Mayor had none but suggested a meeting after vacations when all would be prepared. The meeting took place on September 5 as planned, but there were more questions than answers. Instead of addressing the real issues, the politicians were busy giving unsatisfactory answers about policy or even accusing people of being "uneducated", insinuating that people could not understand the legal basis of their getting fucked over. Unsatisfied, people demanded that the topic continue the next day.

We returned and there was the usual circus with the politicians. When residents asked them if they checked the legality of claims made against the building, the politicians, with absolutely no sense of irony or shame, explained that they sent a letter to the appropriate city functionary a year ago. (This had happened on the insistence of the residents by the way.) But, he never answered the letter.

And while the politicians were thought that this was a perfect justification, the people did not. Many times there were interruptions, speeches, screams and heckling.

The city reps were quite busy with the "we are doing a great job" propaganda and, again without any sense of shame, they told of some concrete numbers. Since they decided, in November 2009, to "help" tenants from reprivatized houses find replacement housing, they declined a number and they are "considering" 140 applications. They found new housing for 19 families.

To understand the scale of this tragedy and political callousness, one has to understand how many people lose municipal housing each time there is a privatization. In this building alone, it is about 100 families.

The city, appealing to the brainwashed yuppie zombies in their electorate, like to talk about all the investments they are making to develop the city. But anybody who can do the simple math can easily see that it just doesn't add up. They are very proud of how they "help tenants" by planning to have two new municipal housing buildings in the neighbour. One is already built and will be given to use by the end of the year. However, this house consists of 69 units.

People asked concretely if any of the tenants of this house have a chance to be settled in the new building. Unfortunately not since the bureaucrats explained that this house would be for people resettled from houses that need to be repaired. People demanded to know which houses. After all, we know of several buildings which have been condemned by the building inspectors. A few of our activists live in such buildings and have been ordered out "for their own safety" - but they don't have replacement housing. We suppose that hundreds of families are now in this situation - so who are the ones who will get to move?

Either the city hasn't decided or it refuses to tell. People asked what the delay was in planning - after all, people need to be informed in advance that they have to move. Again, no answers. When would there be more housing to act as replacement housing for the privatized residents? No answers. But we already know the answer. The city doesn't plan it. They never did. They do not plan enough replacement housing for anybody - they plan the deliberate destruction of private housing and leaving people to fend for themselves on the market that nobody can afford.

We cannot accept these actions and these policies and hope that the neighbours will decide to take more concrete radical action in this situation in defense of their homes.

Six Months after Death of Jola, Tenants Protest against Legal System

2011-09-01T23:47:00.000+02:00

September 1 marks six months since the murder of Jolanta Brzeska, tenant activist burned in the Kabaty forest. Six months later and her family still cannot bury her remains and organize the funeral they wanted, since the authorities refuse to release the body, even claiming that it is "unidentified". Since months later and the property speculator and his band of thugs who tried to break into her apartment once and who threatened her have not even been brought in for questioning. This is how the legal system turns a blind eye to the situation and insensitively increases the pain that the murder victim's family is suffering.

People held a picket to remind the world of this situation and point out how the case is being handled. Even though it took the state a long time to do a DNA test and definitely identify the body of Jolanta Brzeska, it seems to not recognize that she is dead. Her social security is still being paid, as if she was living. Only the debt collector now takes this money each month to pay the real estate speculators who had raised her rent, harassed her and tried to drive her away from her home. Conveniently for the speculators, until the state recognize Jola as dead, they can now collect the money they say she owed them, something that she was fighting against when she was alive. And the bill is being paid by us all, since the money is coming from the public social security system.

The outrages of the state do not end. They were quoted in the press today as explaining that probably it was not a murder, but "an unintentional burning that caused death". What on earth does that mean? That somebody accidentally brought this woman to an isolated spot in the forest, accidentally doused her with gasoline, accidentally set her on fire and accidentally did nothing while she burned to death?

The state also has no shame. Asked by journalists about why the body has not been released yet, they claimed that nobody from the family asked for it. And they make pressure on the press not to write about the "ongoing investigation".

The picket was in a rather sad tone, the tenants blaming the state for its inaction and apparent participation in protecting property speculators well-known for their brutal and completely unethical methods.

The day before, tension was extremely high as there was a confrontation with one of the speculators, Hubert Massalski. Prince Hubert Massalski to be exact, since he is one of those from former royal families who make a show of their heritage, with a clan with claims to be descendants of Rurik. Massalski works together with Marek Mossakowski, taking over buildings, either as owners or adminstrators. Although they are not even heirs to most of them, they have different tricks to come into possession, some of which are infamous. As an "heir" Massalski received two buildings, including one of the most expensive properties in Warsaw, on Krakowskie Przedmiejsce, near the Royal Palace. It was there for years that Warsaw had its main tourist information office. The city, which did not want to leave the building, also experienced Massalski's tactics towards tenants. He came one day and painted the windows red, claiming that it was his property and he could do anything he wanted with it.

It should be mentioned however that the city was not really a victim here, because they were partly responsible for the whole situation. The fact of the matter was that this building which Massalski took possession of simply was not his family's. It had been, along with most of the Old Town, destroyed during the war. There can be absolutely no doubt about that, or about the fact that it was rebuilt with public money. In many cases after the war, people participated in the actual reconstruction of houses which they later would receive flats in.

How is it that this person got possession something built with public money? And how did it happen if Poland does not even have a reprivatization act?

No mystery here. It is big money, getting into the hands of a powerful speculator mafia, with the help of a range of politicians.

Massalski is the adminstrator of another Mossakowski building, on Dahlberga street in Warsaw. There lives a tenant activist, a friend of Jola's from the Warsaw Tenants' Association. Mossakowski took over possession of part of the building then raised rents almost 700%. Like he did on Hoza St. as well where he took over part of the property in a shady deal, misleading an old lady.

The activist and his family are municipal tenants. Like others, they have a contract with the city. When there is a new owner or administrator in the building, the city does not terminate the contract, nor does it guarantee replacement housing, but it just hands over the tenants. In this case, as in many others, the private owners only got a part of the building - the city still owns the rest. Although in some cases like this, it tries to sell its stake to the private owners and totally privatize the building and rid itself of its tenants.

In accordance with the law, property owners can either own a share of the whole property or, in the case of real estate like this, what is more common is that they own a particular part of the building. For example, a single flat. Or a couple of flats. However, in the case of our criminal city, they do not want to say even who is the owner of property. They claim that they cannot divulge "personal information" to third parties and tenants they claim are third parties. Quite literally, if ownership of property is transferred, the tenants do not have any right to know the name of their new landlords. Many times, the landlords try to hide this information by hiring an administrator or administrative firm which collects money. Many tenants only are informed of the name of the firm they are to pay to.

The tenant asked a very good question: since the property is partially owned by the city, which part? Mossakowski only owns a part of it - how does he thus have the right to collect rent from all the tenants. How does the city dare to hand over tenants from property they own to private owners and administrators? He demanded that the city say exactly which apartments in the building are theirs and which tenants are still in the municipal part of the building.

Although this indeed is a good question, in Poland nobody wants to answer. And the legal institutions just hold up these actions, despite the fact that they clearly are outrageous. The tenant lost his case against the rent increase, with the judge scandalously explaining in a lightening fast decision that, simply there is no basis to question this rent, since the landlord has the right to make a profit.

People have vowed to continue fighting, although the system is totally rigged against them. In the meantime, we see this whole situation as obvious proof of how the state protects the interests of a privileged few at the expense of many, and especially at the expense of those who stand in the way of their unbridled greed.

Soldarity with CNT in Visteon Cadiz

2011-08-19T20:07:00.001+02:00

Today comrades in Warsaw and elsewhere took part in the International Day of Struggle against Ford-Visteon called for by the CNT in Spain and the IWA. The multinational is outsourcing work, creating a network of companies and doing all sorts of machinations to avoid tax liabilities and their responsibilities towards workers. Using front companies such as Visteon, Ford divides up and sends out work, opening factories, shutting them down, moving money around to hide their wealth and even to cheat the workers. 450 workers in Cadiz face the elimination of their workplaces due to corporate greed. The CNT union section in Visteon is fighting against the closure.

We send our solidarity to the comrades in their struggle and we have been informing about the situation. We have translated some articles and also had a film showing, after which there was a discussion about the structure of Ford, the nature of work in the company and the situation of the factory in Cadiz. We also sent our protests to the offices of both Visteon and Ford.

In Warsaw we do not have any representation of Visteon, but there is a Ford office. So we went there. As it is located in an office park where there are no passersby, we gave leaflets to employees and a letter to the management, expressing our concern with the closure of the Visteon Cadiz Electronica plant and our opposition to their company's treatment of the workforce.

We decided to hold a larger picket later in the afternoon at a Ford dealership someplace where more people pass by. Unfortunately, nature sabotaged us a bit; there were strong thunderstorms and even hail, so there were too few people on the streets. Nonetheless cars were driving by, so we stayed with a banner and gave out leaflets to pedestrians and cars stopped at the traffic lights. We will probably go back to Ford or another salon in the next few days when there are more people.

Picket at the Sejm

2011-08-19T16:08:00.002+02:00

On August 18th, tenants organizations picketed at the Polish parliament against the possible reintroduction of eviction without any rights to replacement housing. Currently, people can be evicted not to replacement (social) housing, but to temporary housing as well. This temporary housing has no legal definition, which means that families are being sent to overcrowded homeless shelters which meet no standards at all. The Constitutional Tribunal has condemned this as being a violation of rights and ordered the government to adopt an appropriate standard and definition of temporary housing by this fall. However, it has failed to do so and, the absurd consequence of this is that the politicians are interpreting the lack of any binding definition of temporary housing to mean that they have no obligations at all.

All the political parties, which are rushing through dozens of amendments before the upcoming elections, have decided to ignore this, since, in reality, they all want to avoid the obligation to find housing for evicted people and probably all find this a convenient way to do this.

ZSP is considering different actions in response to this matter. We have already declared that we could help people squat people, but probably an action at the Parliament is long overdue!

How to for Freeriders

2011-08-13T20:47:00.000+02:00

Next week the prices increase on public transport in Warsaw. The local ZSP has started up the NIEKASUJ (don't validate your ticket) campaign, which the comrades in Wroclaw started some time ago in that city. Part of the protests now include street theatre showing different ways to act if you meet a ticket controller. The aim of this is to show creative ways of getting away without paying your fare or how other passengers can help people who are caught. We are starting to make videos and inviting other people to submit their own creations. Also we ask people to send us information through a form on the internet so we get ideas about which places are more controlled than others. (We already know that the poorer areas and places where foreign workers ride are the worst.) We are also working on the creation of insurance for fare dodgers.

Protests Continue Against Price Increases

2011-08-06T22:52:00.002+02:00

Protests have been taking place continuously against price increases. Mostly we have been riding the trams, buses and metro and giving out leaflets, calling for direct action. Today we gathered at the Centrum metro station. There people told about the different methods of direct action and called on people to act in solidarity with those not paying their fare in order to discourage the work of the ticket controllers. People spoke about social protests in other countries, including protests against transport fare increases which recently took place in Portugal. There was also an interesting discussion about the history of recent social movements in Poland, how the leaders of movements like Solidarity came into power and sold out and what lessons we can learn about the nature of politics and political power.

A couple of days ago, boxes with more than 151,000 signatures demanding a referendum on the price increases and the privatization of a utility were delivered to the City Hall. But their lawyers are now claiming that citizens cannot change anything that has already been decided by the City Council - although nothing in the Act on Local Referenda would suggest this. It is clear that they will try everything possible to block this initiative because most people would vote against the increases. For us this just shows the limitations of trying to act through the system to change anything, so ZSP calls for more social opposition and direct action.

Besides calling for direct action in the transport, we also called on a boycott of elections and more participation in social protest and self-organization instead.

In Defense of Free Speech and Tenants' Rights

2011-07-11T15:12:00.001+02:00

Today the lawsuit against the Tenants' Defense Committee started. A couple of members of ZSP who are also in the Committee are being sued for making a film where tenants describe their problems with their landlady.

A small picket was held outside the court. The corridors were filled with tenants and journalists who filmed the people, who were all telling stories of their difficult and even desperate living situation. There was no place at all in the courtroom and the judge was a little consternated when a group of elderly women just decided to sit on the floor of the courtroom. The landlady was not present, but was represented by her lawyer, who had been involved in a very famous case related to slander on TV in the past. The TV stations were denied permission to film and some people wanted to speak out to the judge. After some minutes, things calmed down and the Committee, which was defending itself, submitted its arguments to the court, as well as evidence. The documents submitted were mostly related to what was said in the film. Among other things, the landlady claims that the tenant is not telling the truth, but most of what was said can be confirmed in one way or another.

The lawyer for the other side asked the judge to order us to remove the material from the internet immediately, but our comrade argued that, since the result of such an action would be the same as one of the goals of the lawsuit, such an order would result in the Claimant receiving what she wanted before the case was even heard. This argument was accepted by the judge and all material will remain in place. Due to the interest in the case, many people viewed the film over the last few days, at times crashing the site due to too many visitors.

The Committee published the details of their main legal arguments on their page. Without going into all the technical details of the case, it stated that to the best of its knowledge that all the information in the film was true, that it checked many documents related to the case beforehand and that the landlady made no attempt to correct any of the information for many months before she decided to sue us. It presented document to defend this. In addition, in response to claims from the other party that it slandered the landlady because it did not ask for her side of the story for the film, we pointed to the press law which explicitly states that journalists have no obligation to do this. The Committee defended the rights of people to make negative comments on the internet, as long as it is their opinion, not false information.

The Committee also commented to the press on that matter, telling about how some enraged internaut commented on the portal of the main newspaper under an article about the case that "Mossakowski should deal with those red spiders", which is a clear reference to the case of our friend, Jola Brzeska, who has burned alive in the woods. Despite the fact that we do not find her murder to be funny in the least, we treat such ravings quite lightly and announced that we would not sue the newspaper for publishing that comment.

The Committee has to return to court at the end of October, so the case may drag on a while. In the meanwhile, the tenants in the film still live in bad conditions and constant anxiety as the landlady tries to evict them.

Actions in Mass Transport

2011-07-11T14:35:00.000+02:00

On July 9, ZSP members started to make actions in Warsaw´s public transport against the raising of fares. Leaflets are being handed out calling for action, information is stuck in the transport. ZSP supports free and collectivized transportation as a goal but, besides from propagating such ideas, it would like to encourage people to mobilize against the fare increases in an active way. This includes protests and different types of direct actions such as not paying, mutual insurance schemes against ticket controls and, for those who do have a ticket, the passing of tickets to other passengers. We have noticed that people have actually started to practice the last one a little more recently.

We do not agree with the fare increase which hits the working poor the most and will make Warsaw´s public transport more expensive than in many cities in Europe. Besides this, we will continue to point out the various labour problems which exist, especially for bus drivers who are often forced to work too much for miserable pay, impacting on their health and safety and the safety of the passengers as well.

OTTO Actions Bring Results

2011-07-11T14:24:00.000+02:00

The OTTO campaign is still going on. In Wroclaw a couple of women were able to get their full salary by standing up to the company. They were contracted to work in the Wago Elwag factory, which produces electonic components. When they received their first pay check, they noticed it was short. During a protest in Wroclaw, a manager from OTTO came to speak to ZSP and claimed this was because workers were only paid for production, however the contract was not for piece work, but a regular hourly wage. Confronted with the evidence and the ongoing campaign, they had to pay.

Again this shows that if you are being cheated, it is best to take direct action and fight back! It is also much better to organize yourself BEFORE you are cheated! We have been trying to speak to the rest of the workers in Wago Elwag about this situation.

Lawsuit is the Latest Tactic of Attempted Intimidation in Struggle for Tenants' Rights

2011-07-05T11:48:00.004+02:00

Some members of the ZSP from Warsaw are being sued for a film they made and put on the internet. Other members of the Tenants' Defense Committee are also being sued because the film was on their website. The video documents the problems of two families who have been having problems with their landlady, who wants to evict them, for years.

The video was intended to give tenants a voice in a system which is extremely one-sided, ignoring their rights and not even ensuring they are protected by the rights they have under the law.

The 35- minute film, which was made in January 2010, shows the situation of the tenants struggling to keep their homes. They have to go out in the snow to use a porta-toilet since their cesspool was mysteriously destroyed. We also film how the landlady tries to have the gas turned off with a man she presents as an employee of the gas company. This turns out to be very shady. She also asked the electric company to turn off the electricity in the house claiming that nobody lived there.

The tenants describe this history of harassment and how they were treated over the years by those who they turned to for help. One tenant recorded how he attempted to get the police to intervene against the harassment, which included violations of the law on the protection of tenants' rights and health and sanitation law. It showed that the police were totally dismissive, considering it a „private matter”, like some domestic dispute. Another tenant showed mounds of documents, representing useless attempts to fight through the legal system. This included a curious letter from the public prosecutor's office. The tenants were presented with documents with a forged signature. The prosecutor's office found that indeed the document was forged, but said that they would do nothing about the case.

This is a very typical situation in Poland as tenants and others find that they are not able to use the legal system in their struggles against anybody with power, money or connections. On the other hand, they face bias if they try to fight.

This is what happened to our comrade who was the main person speaking in the film. The landlady is trying to evict him and we went to court with him. The bias of the judge was incredibly striking. During the hearing she expressed the opinion that there is something wrong with people like him who expect their right to housing to be respected and that he has to understand that if you want a place to live, you have to take a mortgage and work 40 years to pay it off. This lesson in ideology was not only inappropriate from a judge which is supposed to be neutral in the case, but is even grotesque when you consider the fact that the man is 60 years old and such people simply are not in the position to take any loans. In addition, he asked for a court-appointed lawyer. His financial situation is such that the case is a huge burden – his wife is retired and ill and he himself is in bad health, with severe hypertension, but cannot afford to retire due to his housing problems. The judge reprimanded him for his request, telling him that he should be ashamed of himself and asking why taxpayers should pay for a lawyer when he has a job.

(Witnesses in the courtroom lodged a complaint against the judge, demanding she be removed from the case. Surprisingly this was effective.)

In such an atmosphere, the Tenants' Defense Committee feels that it is essential to make such stories known to the public, to give people a voice and to put human faces on the tragedies being lived as a result of privatization and lack of sufficient action on the part of the authorities to protect tenants and at least guarantee them replacement housing when they give over property rights to private owners. People like this were given municipal housing but are transferred to private owners like pieces of furniture, along with the property. The city does not care if it had concluded a housing contract with those people and finds replacement housing for only a small fraction of them. This hits the elderly and older low-income workers especially hard as they are unable to afford housing on the private market and are usually not able to find higher-paying jobs or to work three jobs to make ends meet.

Many months after we published the video, we received a letter demanding we remove it or we would be sued. Apparently the landlady was offended by the fact that people viewing the film commented negatively about her in the comment section of the page.

We think that the suggestion that we censor out any comments that were negative against the landlady is an obscene violation of the right to free speech and conscience. Furthermore, we are outraged by the extremely high incidence of legal intimidation used in this country against ordinary people to stifle critical views and comments in public life. This leads to a situation where people are afraid to speak out or that media of any sort are afraid to print many things. In this context, we feel it is urgent to protect the very few media which allow workers, tenants and others who are harmed by those with power and money to tell their experiences and voice their opinions.

The catalog of cases made in Poland against internauts for voicing critical views is daunting and shows the extent of the problem with free speech in this country. We can mention, among a few notable recent cases, the raids and arrests against a guy who made a satirical site against the president, or the court case of another guy who criticized the competence of one mayor or even the long and intense internet investigation to find the „criminals” who made a cross from beer cans and thus „offended people's religious sensibilities”. Just like dismissed workers who face such abstract and wide ideas such as „acting to the detriment of the company”, which they can legally be fired for, internauts find themselves up against vague and biased laws that can see them sued or even prosecuted for things such as „offending people” or „damaging somebody's reputation”.

Our point of view is that if the truth damages somebody's reputation, it is not our problem. The public interest to warn people against things such as harassment in the workplace or home, against things like abuse of power or position – this is not only important, but an essential for those fighting back against these things. Especially in countries where the legal system is biased and ineffective, communication with other people becomes one of our main tools in the social struggles.

And we have to point out that the actions of the state only confirm our criticism of it and that the struggles need to be fought by direct action, not by relying on the system.

A while ago we received the papers connected to the suit – 800 pages, most of which were submitted to the court in an attempt to discredit the tenant and our organization. None of this has scared us and has only made us more determined to fight.

Our case goes to court on July 11 and may drag on for a while. We ask people to support this struggle by publicizing the case, which also will more generally highlight the problems of tenants and freedom of speech. We also ask that individuals or organizations which support the tenants' struggle please consider making a donation to our organization. Both the ZSP and Tenants' Defense Organization are entirely self-financed organizations which from time to time need a little extra cash when faced with certain struggles. Those who could help can contact info@zsp.net.pl for more details.

The film we made can be seen here. It is in Polish but we think we will make a translation into English quite soon.

Protest against Price Increases

2011-07-01T20:35:00.000+02:00

On July 1, near the stage of the city's gala concert to mark Poland's taking over the EU presidency, we held a protest against the price increases adopted by the city. The price of public transport is going up an average of 70%, day care almost 600%, water and sewage 30%. In addition, the city plans the privatization of the company that provides heat.

ZSP is campaigning against the increases and calls for direct action, including not paying transport fares and organizing alternative day care instead of paying the outrageous prices. ZSP also calls for transport to come under control of the workers and community. Signatures were gathered at the protest for a referendum which would overturn these decisions and block the privatization.

In general the public was supportive and people stopped to talk, despite the terrible weather. More actions are planned over the next month, including actions in public transport.

2011-06-30T16:34:00.001+02:00

On June 30, the mainstream union Solidarity held a large demonstration in Warsaw. Members of ZSP, plus guests from the IWW and WSA from the US, went to the demo to hand out leaflets and agitate for rank-and-file unionism and for a general strike.

We pointed out that while working people were rebelling in many parts of Europe, here the unions have moderated struggles and often avoid methods such as strikes. The whole idea of a general strike is avoided.

Instead of workers' militancy, the Solidarity leadership has gone more and more in the direction of nationalist rhetoric and its anti-government stance often merges into political support for the conservative Law and Justice Party. ZSP is critical of how the unions use this type of politics. Also, for the demonstration, Solidarity invited a singer who campaigned against the gay pride parade and which openly supported the fascist march on Nov.11 in Warsaw, making speeches for far-right groups. We published a statement criticizing this and pointing out that the workers' struggle must be internationalist and explaining how nationalist ideology divides workers and how discrimination such as homophobia should not be tolerated in the labour movement.

We found that many supported the idea of the general strike. But it will never happen when the union bureaucrats decide strategy instead of the workers. There were some discussions about this, including with people from the traditionally more radical parts of Solidarity. Some of them displayed some patriotic tendencies and this is an issue that needs a lot of work. But on the other hand some were saying that the general strike is not enough and that the government needs to be overthrown. So we hope that this mood will spread - but it is essential that the workers break free of the stifling union bureaucracy and their layers of professional activists first!

Besides talking to the workers, there were some interviews with the local and international press about the need for a general strike.

Campaign Against Price Increases

2011-06-26T00:11:00.000+02:00

Last month the ZSP protested against price increases at the City Council. Despite hours of controversial debate, the neoliberal majority had already decided to do what they had done in many cities throughout Poland: raise the prices of different public services in a way that average working people would have to bear more costs.

The price raises are quite significant: public transport costs on average 70% higher (with some tickets raised even more), water and sewage 30% higher and, worst of all, the price of public nursery schools raised almost 600% for most people. It is true that the prices for the nursery schools will be lower for people earning minimum wage, but the highest rates are already imposed on anybody making just 60% of the average wage and will cost almost 300 euros a month (!!!) This is completely unaffordable and will hit working class mothers, especially single mothers the most. It is simply impossible for the average working mother to afford this price!

There is now an initiative to overturn these decisions by public referendum. In addition, ZSP calls for direct action to combat these measures. There are lots of ways that people can form child care cooperatives instead of using these commercialized "public" services. However the state makes all sorts of legal requirements about child care, so this has to exist completely unofficially, entirely through informal social networks. ZSP also will make some actions and encourage people not to pay the increased ticket prices on public transport, if the decision is not overturned in time. There are ways which we can defend each other against ticket controls - the key is in collective action.

The Warsaw ZSP has initiated a campaign which aims to promote direct collective action in such situations and to promote such ideas as free public transport, collectivized services and alternatives to the state education and commercialized child care industry.

Activists are currently roaming the neighbourhoods, handing out leaflets. People are encouraged to try to formally overturn the city's decision but also to get active and fight back! A protest will be held next week and people are sending protest emails to the city authorities.

The transport prices will be raised in August and before then we will start making some actions in the public transport.

OTTO Workforce sends thugs against activists; ZSP launches new picket campaign

2011-06-22T12:06:00.000+02:00

There is still the situation of injured worker Maciej, who does not know if he will receive further sick pay due to the inappropriate actions of OTTO, and now some people working in Wroclaw were also cheated and not paid for all the hours they worked. Due to the continued revelations of problems with OTTO Workforce, including more incidents brought to light by Dutch investigative journalists, ZSP announced that it would picket OTTO every day starting June 20, for at least the next two weeks, and maybe longer.

Yesterday the first in this new series of pickets was held in Warsaw. Today, OTTO was more prepared and called in some security goons to try and intimidate the activists. The "tough guys" pathetically tried to claim that people could not give out leaflets. When somebody asked them what they were talking about and why not, they said "because we don't want you here" and made veiled threats about the "very stupid" thing we were doing and tried to take people's photos. Of course they were told to fuck off.
This is not the first time that we have seen OTTO try to intimidate people in such a way - their security in Holland even was physically attacking people and we witnessed how they barked at any workers who wanted to take a leaflet. This is part of the problem that workers face with this company; they are constantly surprised by goons who tell them what they can and cannot do and arbitrarily put fines on them and intimidate them so they are afraid to fight back. But if OTTO thinks such primitive tactics are going to discourage us, they are complete fools. NONE of their psychological tactics will dissuade us, neither their smiley faced dismissal of problems, pretending they are going to do something when they are not, nor their denial or claims that things are just "isolated mistakes" or their attempts to use police and security thugs against us.

Workers beware and organize against cheating and exploitation!

www.otto.zsp.net.pl

Real Democracy Now

2011-06-19T20:04:00.000+02:00

On June 19, an action entitled "Real Democracy Now", called by some Spanish students and local activists, was held in Warsaw. There were some open discussions on the Copernicus Sq. about the nature of democracy, problems in society, etc. etc. The local ZSP participated, along with some international comrades, from CNT-AIT, SP-AIT and KRAS. Since we had a slightly different idea about what "real democracy" means, we handed out leaflets (in different languages) explaining ideas of self-management and why we are against all forms of government. There were many discussions with passersby, although few took part in the action. Poland is still a long way from Spain or other countries were such mass public meetings have recently taken place.

ZSP called on people to be more active in public life and to take action against the anti-social decisions of the government. As an example, it mentioned the recent increases in the price of public transport, nursery schools and utilities such as water. This decision was highly unpopular among people, but there were no protest movements to stop it (ZSP and the tenants movement were literally the only ones to mobilize). Now there is a chance to overturn the decision by referendum. It is much harder to do, but still possible. It would have probably required less effort to protest beforehand than try to change it later. Nonetheless, we think this decision should be fought, not accepted - and all depends on if people mobilize. ZSP will be active in this campaign in the next two months.

We also stated that this year, as always, we will be boycotting the elections and we call on people to become more active in grassroots movements and try to build forms of self-organization. During the summer we will be moving around the neighbourhoods, again trying to make local assemblies. It is a long and difficult task but we hope that in the future such initiatives will inspire people's imagination and bear fruit.

Some photos from today's action are below. The text of the leaflet in Polish is here.

Statement Regarding Police Action during May 28 Protest

2011-06-05T21:35:00.000+02:00

ZSP strongly protests against the actions of the police during Saturday's demonstration on Trzech Krzyży Sq. In Warsaw and against them in general.

While many millions of people in Poland are condemned to poverty, the government spends our public money on protecting the elites and (unsuccessful) attempts to scare the people that do not agree with this system and decided to publicly show their opposition. On Saturday, there was an army of police on the streets, making life difficult for ordinary people by creating cordons and detours. The police scared off and threatened many people on the way to the demonstration that if they go, they would not be allowed to leave. Police armed with tear gas was mobilized against demonstrators, there were snipers and a new instrument of repression, the LRAD.

LRAD is a brutal device, used on demonstrators in Georgia and Iraq, to break protests. A wave of sound is directed on demonstrators – this causes pain and sometimes rupture of the ear drums. This can cause permanent hearing loss and, in exceptional situations, even death, It is not used in other countries in the EU and it is considered to be too harsh.

Why is public money spent on such things and then the government claims there is not enough for hospitals, housing, etc.?

We demand our right to gather without the police trying to scare people and without instruments of torture on our demonstration. This LRAD must be destroyed and the police state dismantled!

Day of Rage met with Police, Snipers, LRAD

2011-05-29T10:19:00.007+02:00

On Saturday, May 28, ZSP organized a demonstration in Warsaw against anti-social policies. The demo was held during the Meeting of Presidents of Central Europe and the visit of Barak Obama to Poland.

Already on Friday we experienced problems with the police, who turned Warsaw into a fortress with closed streets and riot equipment everywhere. Despite this and despite attempts to redirect protests we were able to get to the side of the Presidential Palace. However, the next day they had decided that we could not march as planned and brought a few hundred police against a crowd of a similar size. (With even more police ready in nearby vans just in case.) People were able to observe snipers on nearby rooftops.

Not only did the police come ready with tear gas, but also we saw the Polish premiere of the LRAD - Long Range Accustic Device which is used to direct tortuous noise onto demonstrators to disperse crowds. It is a brutal instrument which can burst ear drums and cause permanent damage and, in extreme cases can even lead to death.

As far as we know, the only other country in Europe to have such a device is Georgia, which used it to disperse anti-government protestors in brutal repressions some time ago.

During these two demonstrations we spoke a lot about how public money was spent on wars and the security state instead of on social needs and the appearance of the LRAD illustrates this perfectly.

The crowd decided that it did not want to be locked in by the police and would try to march as planned, however as most were not prepared to fight with tear gas and the LRAD, the big physical confrontation that would have been needed was avoided and we wound up surrounded by police. The officer in charge of the operation claimed that we could not be allowed to move because he did not like a speech where people were encouraged to mobilize like in Tunisia or Egypt and overthrow the government. Helicopters flew overhead filming the protest.

We continued with a noisy demonstration. People were eventually allowed to leave one by one, but only after ID check. A group of about 30 refused this and decided to occupy the square. After a couple of hours, the police moved on them and 7 people were arrested. Some passersby who recorded this on their mobile phones were then detained and had these recordings deleted. The rest managed to go and went to the police station for a solidarity demo. After a short time, the arrested were released: it is unclear whether the police intend to fine them or make cases against them.

Once again we see the real function of the police: to protect the elites - politicians and the rich and to control all elements which organize against their interests.

We condemn the actions of the police and declare that they only make us more determined to kill this system!

Videos (in Polish)

Barracks for Obama Action Takes Place Despite Police State

2011-05-28T07:00:00.000+02:00

Yesterday half of downtown Warsaw was blocked off from vehicle and pedestrian traffic and the city looked like a police state because of the meeting of Central European presidents and the visit of Barrack Obama, The media had been speculating for days what would happen to a couple of demonstrations planned - two demonstrations planned in the framework of Days of Rage and the annual marihuana march. ZSP declared that we would not be illegalized and would turn up at the Presidential Palace as planned. Nota bene, the Presidential Palace was in the zero zone.

We did not manage to get right in front of the Palace for one reason: very few people were able to come at all. But about 50 people managed and we got within 50 meters of our goal, to the side of the Palace, on the main street - so we were able to great the motorcades and Obama. (Some photos below.)

During the demo there were speeches about the anti-social policies of the government and against spending public money on creating a security state or militarism. The heavy presence of the police and closing half the city to its residents was also condemned.On a interesting note, the public showed good interest in the protest. Most of the very few people who managed to be nearby stopped and listened to the speeches, some even staying a couple of hours. This led one of the mainstream papers to make their ideological comment in an article on the demo. They printed the comments of people listening to the demo who commented that what we were saying made a lot of sense but then had to add the line "but what would happen if there was no government".

Protest at City Council against Raising Prices

2011-05-27T09:13:00.000+02:00

On May 26, members of ZSP and the Tenants Defense Committee protested the city's plans to raise prices for public transport, rent in municipal housing, water and sewage. The council was interrupted for a while by the protest until we agreed that we would like to hear the criticisms of the proposals from the opposition. We were invited to present four people to officially speak at the council, one on each topic. We also wanted to hear the opinion of Solidarity since there was a big functionary and one union rep also present. But they were not invited to speak and, although we protested, their written opinion was not read aloud in the session, meaning that we were the only people from society allowed to publicly express our opinion officially. (!) This is because they know that they will hear our opinion anyway - through the microphone on the podium, or through the bullhorn - they will not shut us up. They did try though; many city guards were brought in, expecting our protest and these were new people (as we suspect the city was not happy with the failure of the old ones to stop us). When we interrupted the session and were making speeches on the bullhorn, they tried to stop us, but we refused and managed to stay.

The ZSP of course opposed these price rises, which disproportionately hit the working poor. After the city raised rents 200-300% two years ago, we became involved in the tenants movement, founding an organization with neighbours and we later called for a rent strike. Although this is carried out only on a small scale, it is a thorn in the side of the city administration and we promised that new rent increases will encourage more people to go on strike.

ZSP has also been involved in the issue of public transport. In Wroclaw, the comrades conducted a campaign for free public transportation, urging people not to pay. They were surprised when this campaign inspired a serious public debate on introducing free public transportation. Such an option has been introduced in some cities around the world but we were surprised that it was taken up by anybody in Poland, since it runs so counter to the turbo-liberalism of most Polish politicians. Here in Warsaw we also support this idea, however we have not had any public campaign in this respect. This also may change. The discussion on transport alone lasted more than 5 hours, mostly criticisms of the plans. In the end, the vampires from the ruling neo-liberal party, who are in the majority, adopted the raises, although they lowered the proposed prices on some types of tickets. The raises however reach up to 100% on some, which will make the price of public transport higher in Warsaw than in many European cities where people earn a lot more money. We argued to the city that, despite putting more and more controllers, this will cause many of the working poor to ride without a ticket, because they simply will not be able to afford this and that we would try to organize days without tickets where we would encourage people to act in solidarity against the controllers, which sometimes happens already, but much too rarely.

You cannot ban our rage!

2011-05-24T20:05:00.002+02:00

Rumors have been circulating in the press about the ban of the protest and action entitled „Barracks for Obama”, organized by the ZSP, to be followed by an anti-war demonstration. These are part of the demonstrations planned during the visit of Barack Obama and the presidents of other countries for the Meeting of Central European Presidents.

We say that you can try to ban us, and try to hide us from the eyes of visitors in a primitive attempt to convince foreign powers that all in Poland agree with the sycophantic militaristic, neoliberal escapades of the government. But you will not succeed. We will not cede the streets and you will have to take us by force, just like your predecessors in the ZOMO.

Once again the authorities are so stupid to resort to police state tactics, threatening to turn an angry but peaceful event into a confrontation. We will not go peacefully or quietly and many residents of Warsaw will become witnesses to the realities of „democracy”. It should also be mentioned that the Polish authorities are also infringing the rights to American citizens to great President Obama, since they are among the organizers of the protest and wanted to attend the event.

During Obama's visit to Poland, he will be pushing several points of American interest, in particular, the stationing of F-16s in Poland, to be moved from Aviano in Italy, to a base in Lask and the development of shale gas by American corporations, including Halliburton.

The ZSP has planned two protests during this visit plus is ready to make other spontaneous actions. It plans to protest not only against militarism and the destruction of the environment by big corporations but also against the anti-social nature of government policies which condemns thousands of people to homelessness, poverty and a lack of health care, at the same time wasting huge money on the petty ambitions of those who are in power.

ZSP-Warsaw

Protest and Street Party in Front of Frontex HQ

2011-05-23T20:12:00.001+02:00

On May 23 there was a protest and street party in front of the headquarters of Frontex in Warsaw. The action took place in the framework of the week of actions and events against borders. Activists gathered to protest the murderous policies of the agency that hunts migrants, leading to the increase of human tragedy.

Earlier in the day, friends and activists gathered on the spot where one year ago Maxwell Itoya was killed by a cop. Max was killed in a racist incident last year, also during the time of our international conference against Frontex. A description of the events can be found in the May 2010 archive of this blog.

Conference - Days against Borders

2011-05-22T12:02:00.000+02:00

On May 21 members of ZSP Warsaw gave talks at a conference organized in the framework of the Days against Borders. The conference included discussions on the situation of foreign workers in the EU and Poland, the problems they encounter and organizing campaigns and on the relation of Libya to EU immigration politics and the current situation in North Africa.

Throughout the week there have been discussions, films and small actions against Frontex, the EU border agency which is located in Warsaw. A demonstration in front of their headquarters is planned for Monday.

Protest against the Amendment of the Act on the Protection of Tenants' Rights

2011-05-01T13:12:00.000+02:00

April 29 there was a protest against the Amendment of the Act on the Protection of Tenants' Rights. The proposed amendments would allow the city to raise rents and lower protection for tenants. The protest started at the Ministry of Infrastructure and marched to the Parliament.

Visit to the OTTO Office in Warsaw

2011-04-27T16:16:00.000+02:00

On April 27, ZSP visited the OTTO Office in Warsaw to remind them of the case of Maciej, who has not been paid sick leave and was being jerked around by the company. We have been campaigning for the company to pay and they even promised to do so... only still no money yet. At the office we saw the manager for Central Europe, who just happened to be in Warsaw that day, so we went to talk to him and give him a red card for OTTO, just like OTTO gives red cards to workers who they want to fine.

After some discussion with the office in Holland, the manager told us (and the radio) that they would send money to Maciej on May 3 and would pay him until the end of his contract. His contract was temporary and would end in June. We would like OTTO to offer him new work at the end of the contract that will not cause damage to his health.

We are keeping an eye on the situation and hope the payment will be made, or else we will be back with a protest.

Leaflet for Distribution in the UK and Poland

2011-04-26T09:36:00.000+02:00

We have made a leaflet with some basic information about workers' rights in the UK and are distributing it to people who will start working there. We also distribute a leaflet by Solidarity Federation in Polish and encourage people to contact them. If you are in the UK and would like to print out a few copies, it may be downloaded here. The SolFed leaflet can also be downloaded from our portal here.

Days of Social Rage

2011-04-26T09:26:00.000+02:00

May 27-28, Warsaw, Poland

We are facing an attack on all fronts and our struggle must take on new strength. The arrogance of the state and the impunity with which they attack us is growing. It is a massive offensive against workers and the unemployed, tenants, students, patients, immigrants and those who find themselves in vulnerable positions or on the margins of society. Reforms that they have wanted to implement for years are awaiting us. The government has been testing the waters, seeing how far they can go with us and how much they can get away with.

There is a whole new generation of people who never know (and may never have) a permanent work contract and in this way have been denied paid vacations and sick leave. There is a new generation who may never get to enjoy their retirement. Not that those currently retired enjoy anything. With miserly pensions and poor health care, they have to deal with rising prices and rents which are much higher than what they can pay. The local authorities are just waiting for tens of thousands of elderly public housing residents to wind up in the cemetery so they can earn more money off the vacated apartments. All of this is done so that a tiny elite can make more and more money at the expense of society.

The gap between the rich and the poor has never been so great. According to statistics published by the OECD in 2008, Poland was on the top of the list of income inequality of all OECD countries. The middle class is going bankrupt. Those people are not able to pay off their loans and increased fees for land and may soon find themselves amongst the ranks of the working poor.

In spite of what society wants, the government carries out the recommendations of the IMF. Poland should limit indexation of social security benefits and pensions, „rationalize” social services, increase „flexibility”, spend more on the military, increase the tax burden on farmers and the self-employed (which is mostly fictitious self-employed, forced into this condition by their bosses). Education and health care is becoming more and more commercialized and inaccessible.

It is time to fight back!

Lets fight for:

Better working conditions

At the beginning of the year, unemployment was over 13%, despite the fact that more and more Poles are forced to work abroad. This figure does not include either the long-term unemployed or the underemployed – the armies of workers who have part-time, seasonable or mini-jobs. With the pretext of giving workers „freedom of choice” the government does more and more to allow bosses to use trash contracts, temporary work and use outsourcing. At the same time, it reforms the Act on the State Labour Inspectorate to soften and remove (the already low) fines for bosses who violate workers' rights and does little to ensure people can protect themselves against labour abuse. The result is that many people are forced to work underpaid overtime, or work in dangerous conditions, just to get by. Women, immigrants and the poor are particularly abused and discriminated against.

We are told left and right that the market dictates prices, so prices for all we need are always increasing (even beyond the levels in wealthier countries). But at the same time, we are told that the price of our labour cannot increase, because bosses don't want expensive workers. The more the bosses are able to call the shots, the more our rights as workers are eroded.

For tenants' rights, against real estate speculation and gentrification

One area where policies are extremely anti-social is public housing. In 2009, rents were raised 200-300% in Warsaw. People living in housing which becomes privatized may also see dramatic rent increases. Now many people can no longer afford their rent. If this wasn't bad enough, the government is introducing a bill which would allow the city to raise rents even higher.

At the same time that they are liquidating the public housing supply through privatization, condemning buildings and so on, they are doing way to little to provide new housing, exposing many to the real threat of homelessness.

The existing rights of tenants are being constantly violated as the administrators now that nothing will happen to them.

Better health care

The efforts of the government to turn health care into a profit-making industry have hit the working poor the hardest. They are the ones who cannot afford private clinics and are forced to wait for medical services, pay their last savings for adequate care, or do without. Money is diverted from the health care budget, just like it is diverted from all social needs. Health care workers bear the brunt of these cuts as well, and are forced to work in horrible conditions. This also has a negative effect on service to patients.

Against rising prices

Rent increases are not the only thing that hit workers, pensioners and the unemployed. There are increased prices for everything: food, health care, education. Taxes are increasing, as are the costs of social insurance, put on the workers. The city of Warsaw now plans to raise the price of transport 100%, which hits the working poor the most.

The government, in order to pay for the money it spends (for the benefit of bureaucrats and business people), just finds more and more ways to squeeze money from the working poor and middle class.

For free education for all

The commercialization of education has made it both more and more inaccessible to many and more and more dependent on the desires of capital. Education reforms are meant to make universities profitable, meeting the demands of the corporations which will dictate what they want people to study. More and more students are forced to pay and the poorer ones have to slave at shit jobs to put themselves through school, often being cheated by bosses who take advantage of their desperate situation. Or they are encouraged to take loans, so they can start out their adult lives as debtors.

In the end, some part of these students just give up and leave Poland, discouraged by their lack of options and the hardship they will face.

For an environmentally safe Poland

As all is treated as a profit-making resource, we face an increasing encroachment on the natural environment and new ecological threats. Among them are the government plans to build nuclear power plants in Poland, something that most people are against, despite years of the nuclear lobby working to convince people. The government has already spent millions „educating” the people about nuclear energy while doing little to improve the ecological conditions of the country.

Against militarism

Again, against the will of the overwhelming majority of society, the government spent a fortune on weapons and campaigns in Afganistan and Iraq. This is money that goes for killing, and there have been many scandals about the participation of Polish forces in killing civilians. In the meanwhile, the government cuts back on many social needs.

This is just the tip of the iceberg!

People – enough is enough! It is time to act before you wake up and find you have no work, no place to live, no health care and nothing to live on. Instead of accepting this fate, let's get rid of the people responsible for this mess!

And no, changing one army of bureaucrats, bosses and politicians for another will not help a thing! It's the system that has to change! The system of government and capital!

Let's go on the offensive and fight back!

Let's take control of things ourselves, in the best interests of working people, controlled directly by working people, not for profits or for power but for a decent life for everyone!

STOP THE ANTI-SOCIAL OFFENSIVE OF THE STATE AND CAPITAL!

DAYS OF SOCIAL RAGE – 27-28 of May, in Warsaw

27 May – events connected with the Vishegrad Summit and visit of the US President
28 May – main demonstration, 12:00 in Warsaw on pl. Trzech Krzyży

http://dnigniewu.blogspot.com/

Send an Email to OTTO Workforce!

2011-04-24T09:26:00.000+02:00

We ask people to send an email and using the email form here

OTTO Workforce Screws Injured Worker

The campaign to improve the treatment of people working for OTTO temporary agency continues. M. was working loading in Belgium where he got an industrial related injury (a hernia). While on leave in Poland, he was told by doctors that he needed to take sick leave but he was essentially dismissed (in temporary agencies this means the company says „we have no more work for you”). He is left with medical bills, has no insurance coverage in Poland and the company is giving him the run-around, refusing to deal with his case.

M. would be entitled to 91% of his pay while on sick leave – which for him is 1083,65 euros per month. The company should also help him resolve the issues with his medical insurance and find him a replacement job which does not require heavy lifting.

OTTO also has a habit of giving workers oral permission to have a few days off, but giving nothing in writing and then claiming that the employee left the job and breached the contract. In M.'s case, this was also suggested. Such a breach results in a 500 euro fine.

Instead of taking responsibility for the person injured at work, OTTO did everything just to get rid of him and leave him on his own. But he is not alone, and we will fight to get him his compensation!
M's situation is now quite serious as he does not have money for his medical bills. You can support him by sending a message to OTTO Workforce. We ask people to send an email and using the email form here or the model text below. Please act today!

Model Text
fvangool@ottoworkforce.eu
I am writing to protest the treatment of injured workers in OTTO Workforce! OTTO needs to report all industrial actions, make sure that workers can get medical treatment and compensation while on sick leave and give them a replacement job if they cannot physically perform their old one!
We demand that Maciej is helped immediately!
Workers are human beings, not disposable machines!

Days of Social Rage - Warsaw 27-28 of May

2011-04-11T11:43:00.001+02:00

Protests against capitalism and its logic!

In defense of labour and tenants, against anti-social policies, war and the logic of the security street!

On the occasion of the Visegrad Summit and the visit of Obama to Poland, ZSP calls grassroots organizations and all those who are fed up to get out in the streets and protest!

Main protest: Saturday, May 29 at 12:00 Plac Trzech Krzyży

Tenants Meeting - Squat Action

2011-04-11T11:20:00.000+02:00

For the past few months, members of ZSP and the Tenants Defense Committee have been holding local meetings on privatization processes and tenant organization. They are made in different neighbourhoods and usually attract more than 150 people, many of whom decided to fight for their living spaces!

On Saturday, April 9, the meeting had an added dimension: it took place in a squatted building. The building had been inhabited until this fall. There is only one apartment owner - the rest is owned by the city. The owner is - by some "coincidence" - involved in real estate development. The rest of the tenants were evicted, presumably due to the "bad state" of the building. But in reality it is suspected that the city helped get rid of the tenants so the building can be commercialized. The city also has the corrupt practice, seen in other instances with real estate developers, of selling the municipally-owned parts of such buildings to the private owner with a minority interest in the property.

There is one tenant left, who refuses to go and is fighting to remain in his home.

A group of comrades squatted the building. When the tenants came, many of them were shocked to see that the city is evicting people out of perfectly inhabitable buildings, when they then leave open to rot. The building was damaged by being left open all winter, which also pissed off the tenants. People were encouraged not to organize, fight against eviction and privatization and to take control over the property the city is mismanaging.

The Tenants Defense Committee and ZSP will start holding meetings and have an infopoint in the building. We declare our full support for this initiative, the squatters and the tenant who refused to move!

Hands off our Flats!

2011-04-10T23:04:00.000+02:00

Protest against the proposed amendment of the Act on the "Protection" of Tenants' Rights. April 29, 16:00.

Proposed changes include:

giving the city the power to charge higher rents in more "attractive" neighbourhoods and buildings
limiting their obligations to provide social housing to people who have been evicted
taking any the rights of relatives living in a flat to take over a lease after the main tenant has deceased (usually this relates to children)
changing municipal leases from an indefinite period to a set time, with periodic income checks

These changes will hit the working poor the most, especially the last one as the income limit to qualify to public housing is completely unrealistic!

We say, stop speculation, stop the attacks on low-income people and one public housing! Housing is not a profit-making commodity - it is a basic human need!

Informational Actions April 23-25

2011-04-10T21:45:00.000+02:00

ZSP is organizing informational actions for immigrant workers in the last two weeks of April. On the days 23-25 of April, visits are planned to fruit orchards, wholesale markets and construction sites where there are predominantly immigrant workers, including places which are known for their abusive practices. With these actions, we hope to both expose the topic to a wider audience (as it is little discussed in Poland, where this labour remains partly invisible) and to help inform workers of their rights, what they can do if they are violated and encourage them to organize!

Shut Down Frontex! Against All Borders!

2011-04-08T22:20:00.005+02:00

Against Capitalism and the State, Long Live International Solidarity!!!

May 16-23 in Warsaw, we are organizing events against the borders, in favour of international solidarity. We aim to spread the idea that the existence of borders and the logic of nationalism keeps us divided. As workers much is determined by where we live, or where we come from. The system is forcing us to compete, instead of unite in our struggle.

The events planned include film screenings, discussions, meetings, lectures, streets meetings and a demonstration at the headquarters of Frontex, the EU border agency.

ZSP plans to organize several discussions and panels, including the following topics: Migration Control and the Labour Markets of Europe, the Situation of Immigrant Workers in Poland, Immigrant Labour Organizing and EU immigration policy and Libya.

The days are co-organized with the collective RAS (Radical Solidarity Action).

More information soon!

Information: info@zsp.net.pl

Tenants Protest Against Evictions

2011-04-06T11:47:00.000+02:00

On April 4, tenants protested in front of the City Hall against evictions. Members of ZSP and the Tenants' Defence Committee took part in the protest. One of our comrades informed those gathered that the government would like to amend the Act on the Protection of the Rights of Tenants. Last time they tried it, we managed to block it - and we have to aim for the same results again! The amendment includes, amongst other things, giving the city the power to set differential rates, according to the location of the building and condition. This means that any tenant who, by accident, wound up in a "more attractive" neighbourhood, may be subject to huge rent increases. Another thing they would like to do is to make the rental agreements for a set time - not indefinite as it is today. And they will be checking people's income and kicking out people who earn "too much".

Although the city is trying to argue that they are getting rid of "the rich" to give housing to the poor, these changes will effect mostly the working poor, since the income criteria for public housing is totally unrealistic in this city! Practically anybody who earns slightly more than the minimum wage is not eligible to receive public housing, but this amount is far to little to live on! In addition, kicking more and more people out of public housing will just inflate the rates on the private housing market, which is overburdened and does not correspond to people's abilities to pay.

We called on people to take part in a demonstration on April 29 against this amendment!

Disruption of City Council. Politicians get lost!

2011-03-17T23:36:00.005+01:00

Today members of ZSP, the Tenants Defense Committee and the Warsaw Tenants Association disrupted the City Council to protest against bad housing policy and to tell the politicians to get lost. ZSP and the Tenants Defense Committee declare that the authorities should have no legitimacy and nothing to say in these matters and that public housing should come under popular control.

Those two organizations declared that the would help people occupy vacant flats in response to the city not provided enough public housing. More protests are expected shortly.

Video: http://cia.bzzz.net/warszawa_lokatorzy_przerwali_sesje_rady_miasta

Report from mainstream TV: http://www.tvp.pl/warszawa/informacyjne/kurier-warszawski/wideo/17032011/4158994

Jola's last words to the city bureaucracy

2011-03-10T15:20:00.001+01:00

Jola was a very engaged activist and went to all meetings with the city bureaucrats, even though talking to them usually proved useless. One colleague reminded us of what Jola said the last time we met to discuss with the bureaucrats. The city was represented by Tomasz Krettek (TK).

TK: Under certain conditions you can apply to the neighbourhood (council) and they will help. I understand from what you are all saying that we should raise the criteria (for being eligible for public housing) for people from reprivatized buildings.

(Voices from the auditorium): Yes!

JB: You are talking about income criteria and that if somebody meets this, they will be helped. I cannot pay my rent. The owner tells me to pay 2500 zloties. (625 euros). I owe 80-90 thousand zloties. (20,000 - 22,500 euros). Who is going to pay for me, because I don't have anything. I applied for (replacement) municipal housing, because the court denied me social housing. (Note: that is a very poor roof over your head, given to homeless people who have been evicted.) The Borough office refused because there were no flats available. This is in violation of the law, in violation of the resolution of the City Council. There is nobody to help me. I am still waiting.

***
And so the late Jolanta Brzeska tried time and again to point out her problem, which thousands of other people in this city face. She used to be able to pay her rent when she was a tenant in municipal housing. It was affordable for her. Then the city privatized her flat and the rent was 625 euros - much more than she earned! At the time of her death, she was receiving about 350 euros a month.

In general, the city considers people who earn "that much" to be able to rent a flat on the commercial market. After a long struggle, the city raised the criteria slightly for retirees from reprivatized houses. So Jola QUALIFIED for municipal housing and should have received a replacement flat. But they gave her a hard time. Some bureaucrats told her that she can't get a flat and should live with her daughter. Others claimed there were no flats available. In the meanwhile, she was stuck with the slumlord who harrassed her and a growing debt.

We condemn the whole policy that leads to such situations. At the same time that this mass privatization started, the city decided to also decrease the amount of public housing units. Where are these people supposed to go? There are no affordable places for them to rent.

The answer, unfortunately, is that is they do not go quietly and live out the rest of their days in some corner of a relatives' overcrowded flat, the only place left is the cementary.

Demanding a reaction from the bureaucrats on March 9, we only heard the following about Jola's case: "It is still pending". !!!!

Half Victory for the Right to Demonstrate - Police still Abuse Power

2011-03-10T00:31:00.000+01:00

Last May, Maxwell Itoya was killed by a cop in Warsaw. (See May 2010 archives.) ZSP members were at the scene and organized a demonstration the next day. The demonstration, which gathered at the place of the murder, marched onto the police station where police were still holding people arrested during the police riot in which Maxwell was killed.

The demo marched a few kilometers on a main street and got to its destination without any interference whatsoever by the police. However the police are shits and when most people had already left, they tried to pick off individuals to ID. They did not target us, although they know us well.

This is a typical police tactic, to try and intimidate new people in an attempt to make them afraid of such actions. They did not want to charge us with organizing an illegal demonstration but wanted to charge some participants with "disturbing the peace".

We protested against this shit behaviour, stressing that it was the racist raids and action of the police and the murder which was the problem, which nothing has been done about, not our screams of protest. Suprisingly, the main newspaper and the Helsinki Foundation supported the right to demonstrate and condemned the behaviour of the police. On March 9 we learned that the police finally decided to drop most (but not all) the cases against the demonstrators. They decided to charge 6 people with... using vulgar words in public. They are also looking for a 7th person who they claimed used foul language.

Mainstream media on case:
http://www.tvnwarszawa.pl/stolica,news,unikna-kary-bo-to-bylo-quot-spontaniczne-zgromadzenie-quot-,128762.html

http://warszawa.gazeta.pl/warszawa/1,95190,9216706,Policja_nie_ukarze_za_manifestacje__Tylko_za_przeklenstwa.html

Actions for Popular Control of Public Housing and in the Memory of Jolanta Brzeska

2011-03-09T22:25:00.000+01:00

Today was an action called for popular control of public housing. We had announced that we do not recognize the local government and we are taking matters into our own hands. We revealed to the press that we are telling people who cannot get public housing where empty flats are that can be squatted and are helping in this process. Today was supposed to be also a public squatting action however, due to the tragic death of our colleague, Jolanta Brzeska, the atmosphere was quite different.

We spoke of Jolanta's tragedy and the deadly politics of the city. We condemned the inaction of the politicians, speculation and capitalism and reiterated our postulates. After the rally, people made their way to a meeting with public housing administrators, taking it over with harsh speeches and then declaring that there is nothing left to talk about with those people. Despite her very hard time, Jola's daughter came and made a particularly strong speech. People left and then went to Jola's house to light candles and leave a little memorial.

Photos and links to mainstream media coverage below.

Some coverage in the mainstream media can be found here:
http://warszawa.gazeta.pl/warszawa/1,95190,9222882,Protest_lokatorow_na_Pradze___Wszystkich_nas_nie_spalicie_.html
http://warszawa.gazeta.pl/warszawa/51,95190,9222882.html?i=0
http://www.tvp.pl/warszawa/aktualnosci-z-regionu/spoleczne/protest-mieszkancow-pragi-polnoc/4119025
http://www.zw.com.pl/artykul/1,576349.html
http://www.tvnwarszawa.pl/informacje,news,protest-dla-jolanty-brzeskiej-quot-to-ofiara-polityki-miasta-quot-,129211.html
http://www.fakt.pl/Walczyla-z-kamienicznikami-Znalezli-jej-spalone-cialo,artykuly,98153,1.html
http://www.tvp.pl/warszawa/informacyjne/kurier-warszawski/wideo/09032011/4119722

Housing Activist found dead in Warsaw

2011-03-08T22:32:00.002+01:00

On March 7 we learned that one of the most active members of the tenants' movement, Jolanta Brzeska, was found dead in the woods.

Her body had been burnt beyond recognition and it is unclear whether she was alive or dead when it happened.

Jola was 64 years old. She was one of the founders of the Warsaw Tenants' Association, a good speaker and committed activist who went to all demonstrations, who blocked evictions and advised other tenants. She herself was involved in a battle with Warsaw's most notorious slumlord, Marek Mossokowski, and was the last tenant left in a valuable piece of real estate at the time of her death.
Jola lived in a building which had been public housing but became privatized. The area she lived in was attractive to developers, who built luxury housing next to her building, where apartments cost 5000 euros per sq.m. Jola's ordeal began on April 27, 2006 when a group of 10 people banged on her door. This is how she found out that her flat, which had been public housing, had fallen into private hands.

This type of shocking news has been received by thousands in Warsaw since it is the politics of the city not to inform its tenants that claims have been made against their houses or even to inform them that they have been privatized. Many, if not most tenants learn about this after the fact. (1)
Among the people in this group was Marek Mossakowski, a landlord so notorious that even the neoliberal architects of privatization condemn him. Mossakowski's hobby is and was buying claims in real estate. A few years ago, it was quite hard for pre-war owners or their heirs to get back property which was communalized after the war. It is still quite difficult for ordinary people without connections. This is why some people with claims who have no legal saavy were selling them. Mossakowski has been known to have bought real estate claims for 50 zloty (12.5 euros) for property he later tried to get 1.25 million euros for. [2] A specialist in antiques, he could also get all sorts of old papers and documents. He acquired claims in many properties under unclear circumstances. [3]
This slumlord is known for his unscrupulous tactics for driving people out of their flats. If they are not scared by his initial, often illegal attempts to imposed huge rents and „fees” on them, other methods begin. In the case of Jola's house, a few days after his initial visit, the tenants received a letter. In it he claimed that, since the property was transfered, all of them were „illegal” inhabitants of the building. (This is a direct violation of the law as, even if he wanted to kick them out, he would have to give them 3 years notice, or provide them with replacement housing.) Since he considered them „illegal”, he demanded that they pay additional „damages” to him, amounting to almost 500 euros a month.

Jola knew that this was illegal and refused to pay. Like many people in her situation, her rent now was much higher than her income. (Most recently she received about 350 euros a month.) This is when all sorts of harrassment started. Mossakowski even tried to break into her house and to register her flat as his place of living.

Unlike Jola, who could not get a replacement flat from the city, the millionaire Mossakowski, owner of real estate all over town, is a tenant in municipal housing. (Nobody knows if he really lives there, but he has the flat.)

While the city is privatizing housing, they rarely provide the old tenants with replacement flats. (Last year only 90 were given.) When people are in such a situation, the city looks at their income and, since the criteria is much too low, many people, even retired, are not entitled to get replacement public housing. The bureaucrats in charge of destroying the public housing system look for any reason to deny housing, often breaking all rules. In the case of Jola, she was denied the right because her daughter had a flat. Even though this should play no role, we know that the city sometimes tells people who have lost their flats and apply for a replacement that they can go live with parents or children – even in other cities.

Jola was angered by her situation and decided to fight back. In the tenants' movement, she fought for a change in policy, so that other people would not have to go through what she was experiencing.
Despite the fact that her case was still in court, Mossakowski said she was her debtor and owed over 20,000 euros. At the time of her death, she was the last tenant remaining in that house.
Jola's daughter reported that she had disappeared in very mysterious circumstances. After a few days she was told that a burnt body was found in the woods on the same date Jola went missing. It was burnt beyond recognition but a few objects she had on her had not been destroyed, including her house keys, glasses and hearing aid.

Nobody is sure that the police are interested in investigating this case. Although everything indicates that Jola was murdered in an unusually brutal manner, the police tried to pose „alternative theories” such a suicide or that maybe Jola was a „member of a cult”. It is unclear whether there is any special motivation for generating these „alternative theories”.

One thing is for sure: people involved in the tenant movement blame the situation on bad housing politics that leave public housing tenants at the mercy of unscrupulous speculators and slumlords. We vow not to forget Jola's ordeal and her contribution to the struggle which we will continue with more resolve than ever.

We will not forget, we will not forgive!

1. This is why we have got and published internal documentation compiled by the city and have been notifying and gathering those who might be affected.
2. See: http://warszawa.gazeta.pl/warszawa/1,34889,7958665,Mial_tylko_50_zl__teraz_ma_kamienice.html#ixzz1G1OpNKlu
3. We managed for the first time in Warsaw to block an illegal privatization attempt. Mossakowski was also a figure in this story.

Women and Labour in the Realm of Capital

2011-03-08T06:09:00.000+01:00

The Position of Labour in Poland in the Prism of Neoliberal Ideology

The relation of workers to capital is crystal clear: their goal is to produce surplus (profit) for those investing money, to improve the quality of those people's lives and to increase their power to own, invest and control. The neoliberal dogma instilled in people convince them that this is a natural relation. Moreover, workers are led to believe that the capitalists are doing them a favour by „creating jobs”. We are taught that we must beg and compete with others for work then comply with all the demands or whims of the bosses to remain in employment. Our very material existence depends on our willingness and ability to satisfy the needs of our employers. Our own needs are usually put on hold or forsaken.

The „solution” to this proposed by society which has accepted this order is that each worker should try to get special skills which would enable him or her to get a better position in the pecking order. This is the false solution of an individualized society which seeks to remedy social problems through individual exceptions to mass misery while keeping the problem in tact. In this sense, the individualized mentality is not only convenient for capital but is a cornerstone of economic hierarchy.

That a mass problem exists should be obvious in Poland where most working people live on subsistence wages, with little surplus while some portion satisfy themselves with the extra rewards of modern labour – small comforts which they have paid dearly for. Furthermore, as the public sector has come under attack by vultures scavenging for profits on the corpses of public health, education and housing, huge portions of society find themselves without access to adequate health services, with little chance to have a decent and secure roof over their head and faced with the chance that they will not be able to afford higher education for their children. Yet such problems are often described as some particular local misfortune and are blamed on bad organization, thieving politicians and public administrators and, as the ultimate expression of twisted consciousness, these problems can be blamed on the workers themselves, who supposedly are to blame for their own situation.
The ideology we are fed deliberately divides workers and convinces layers of better-positioned employees that the problem of poverty if one of a lack of individual motivation, having nothing to do with the system.

Breaking through this ideological stupor, one can easily see its falsity. We can look at the undervalued labour of various professions and dismantle these myths. The situation of nurses is quite a good example. There is absolutely nothing wrong with their labour. They have worked hard to prepare themselves for their profession, the do a very hard and necessary job – yet they earn very little. It is absolutely clear that the problem is the undervaluing of their labour in Poland.

The undervaluing of this labour is directly linked to the ideology which places no value on anything which is not a profit-producing vehicle for business. Thus all work which is done for the basic benefit of people, not for the benefit of business, is relegated to the margins, its workers forced on low wages and told to be compensated by the knowledge they are „doing something good”.

It is no coincidence that in Poland, like in many other countries, such jobs are held by women to a disproportionate degree. Workers in these professions are thus put in hardship and must fight for their dignity and better compensation for their labour. However the difficulty of this is enormous. In a private conversation, one of the leaders of the nurses' union once lamented that there is a problem with both inspiring militancy among women and being treated seriously. Nurses have been known to organize strong protests, showing outstanding commitment and courage – yet they do not have the „force” of workers in other sectors. It seems that some have understood the word „force” to mean physical force; one conjures up images of miners fighting with the police or shipyard workers burning tires in the middle of the road. But the reality may be somewhat different.

Nurses are in a difficult situation. Since they do not want to hurt people and patients, they may strike not leaving the beds of the patients. But ultimately, if they do leave the beds of the patients, they would only be hitting the working classes. The rich are in private clinics, as well as the politicians who destroy the system. The key to a successful struggle then is widespread social support and action against the political and economic system causing the problem. This is however sorely lacking in our society.

The Position of Women in Labour and the Labour Movement: Is it Something Specific?

One might be tempted to argue that the position of the nurses has nothing to do with their gender, but rather to do with the nature of their work and capital's relation to it. However there is no denying that women wind up in undervalued jobs much more often than men. Then it is a question about how such people, faced with material deprivation and insecurity, can go about improving their condition.
It is also worth pointing out that all statistics and surveys show that even when women find themselves in slightly better employment, they earn much less than men and are more inclined to accept other unfavourable conditions.

Sociologists, feminists and other observers point to many decisive factors such as a lack of assertiveness amongst women or some silent resignation to the fact that they are to pick up the slack and do more work, something learned from the classic paradigm of the Polish household where Mother did most of the housework and knew that complaining about it would be „unpleasant”. This unequal relation of labour in the home is still commonplace, despite many transformations in society and the acceptance of such a scheme is the pattern for attitudes towards women and their labour.
Another tendency is one to avoid conflict, which, although not strictly related to gender, is a pressure many women feel acutely. Yet the essence of the labour struggle is the eternal conflict between employer and employee. It is only through conflict that the employee may begin to fight for her or his interests. And one must be able to feel strength, as this struggle is often with those who possess considerably more power.

Some understanding of the specific situation of many women in the labour market may be helpful for us to think of what we need to do to overcome certain barriers in organizing. These specifics may be overgeneralized or may be more or less relevant in different areas, but, regardless of these details, we must deal with the following facts: that women are more often in undervalued jobs or are underpaid; that women, although unionized, have not had the same success as men in forcing their demands through labour struggles; the labour movement is still disproportionately male dominated.

The Anarchosyndicalist Movements: Addressing the Problem

Obviously, the problem of gender disproportion in any union or group may be dependent on many factors such as the society, branch, composition of existing members or their attitude or approach. But overall, the gender gap is obvious. Furthermore, although some groups have good participation of women, we find in general that many of the responsible functions are predominantly held by men.

One can make many theories about what is responsible for this situation, but ultimately the answer is most likely to be slightly different in the different groups. In Poland we have discussed this issue many times and we tend to identify the following as being real factors in this situation:

- past experience of sexism in the anarchist movement and history of anarchafeminists moving away from anarchists towards liberal feminists and social democracy
- general absence or low participation of working women in social life due to pressures of work and family responsibilities
- some guys have certain sexist attitudes towards women, not taking them seriously, or viewing them as potential girlfriends and even where if the people in the group are not this way, this pattern is taught and is a repeated dynamic in social life
- some groups promote an old-fashioned vision of what it is to be a „worker”, conjuring up images of coal miners and (male) factory workers, making them the main subject of the struggle
Although the situation in Poland is quite specific and, for certain reasons worse than in many places, undoubtedly some of these factors are present elsewhere. So the question is, what are we going to do about it?

Obviously, it is going to take more than just paying attention to who the subject of the struggles are. Although this is a start. As women become more prominent in this, they ideas about who can be active in a labour struggle changes and women may identify more with the stories they hear. But also we have got to confront the practices we have, for example at our meetings, which may be alienating for women or discourage their participation. The same would be true for any other type of person who might be problems integrating into the organizational culture for any reason: younger or older people, foreigners, outsiders not connected into any social networks which might be present in a group.

International Women's Day is now a century old. A century has passed and while women have made great progress is some areas, there is still a lot to be done. On this occasion, I personally would like to reflect on the state of things in our movement and think of what we can do to not only facilitate the participation of women in our movement but encourage a much more active role. Hopefully this anniversary will also remind many of the comrades around the world that our movement, in general, is faced with this challenge.

Laure Akai

ZSP Statement on Popular Control of Public Housing

2011-03-07T22:41:00.001+01:00

On March 9, ZSP sections in Warsaw and Wroclaw, along with tenants groups, will tell politicians and public administrators to get lost!

PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE!

DOWN WITH THE POLITICIANS AND BUREAUCRATS!

POPULAR CONTROL IMMEDIATELY!

Związek Syndykalistów Polski declares that the public housing authorities, in acting against the interest of tenants for the benefit of the corrupt bureaucratic apparatus, for the benefit of landlords and property speculators, are enemy entities which need to be abolished. The answer is not in replacing them with a new set of bureaucrats as the system of unchecked power is bound to always produce more or less the same results.

Tenants! It is time to take control of our own fates!

The problem we all face was well-illustrated in an example given at a recent public meeting in Praga Polnoc. One tenant explained how she and her neighbours, fed up with living in a house with a crumbling and disgusting entrance, proposed that they take some money out of their rent and fix the entrance themselves. The bureaucrats said no but did nothing to repair the problems. Thus the relation is that the administration takes money and does nothing. All tenants know that, if they could decide things, a lot more would be done to keep houses in good repair, instead of putting money into the pockets of useless bureaucrats or their friends and families who earn money off overcharging for different contracts.

Tenants, it is time to put an end to this system! It is time to put the people responsible for our everyday misery out of a job!

While thousands of us are living without heat, in crumbling flats which might collapse on us, with mold all over, crowded into slums, the administration wastes public money and turned public housing into ruins. Their only plan is a diabolic one of nearly eliminating public housing, privatizing it, evicting the elderly and poor, pushing them into the margins. They are destroying the lives of thousands of people! Are we going to stand by and let them do this, are we going to wait, as individuals until it is our turn to be thrown out before we cry out: enough! Our will we unite with our neighbours and take things into our own hands?

ZSP declares that it does not recognize the legitimacy of the bureaucrats to decide and calls for the creation of popular control of public housing. On March 9 we will confront the authorities and reach out again to the people with this message.

We also declare that we will help any person who needs housing to find an empty flat or building and call on people to squat these places. In upcoming weeks we will take action to realize such plans in a couple of flats and we will act decisively against any attempts to remove or harass those who have occupied these wasted spaces.

TENANTS UNITE IN STRUGGLE! HOUSING IS A RIGHT, NOT A COMMODITY!

We Will not Forget, We Will Not Forgive

2011-03-07T22:32:00.000+01:00

On March 7 we learned of the murder of a 64-year old tenant activist from Warsaw. (On photo during anti-eviction action.) The local ZSP issued the following statement:

The burnt body of tenant activist Jolanta Brzeska was found in the woods in Warsaw.

Jola fought for passionately for the rights of all tenants. She herself lived in a building which wound up in the hands of the notorious slumlord and speculator Mossakowski, known for his inhuman treatment of tenants. He raised her rent very high but she fought back. Her case was still in the courts but she already was over 20,000 euros in debt. But she was the only one left, the only one still fighting back, the only tenant left in that building.Jola spoke about her situation. She spoke many times at meetings with politicians and housing adminstrators, who said they were familiar with her case. But they did nothing. She was transferred to the slumlord like chattel when the house went from municipal housing to private and, although she was a retiree with a limited income, she could not get back into municipal housing. This is the direct result of an inhuman housing policy.

Whoever actually killed her, she is the victim of this antisocial policy. And there are many, many others whose health and life are destroyed by privatization, speculation, gentrification and profiteering at their expense.

Jola, we will not forget, we will not forgive.

Due to this tragic news, the squatting action planned for Wednesday will be postponed and we will take action with other tenants groups to remember Jola instead. More information in English will appear on the zspwawa blog in upcoming days.

Public Meeting on Reprivatization

2011-03-06T23:05:00.000+01:00

Over 150 people came to a public meeting in the North Praga neighbourhood about privatization. We spoke about the problems people faced, what could be done about it and the need to be active in the tenants movement. Many spoke out about the bad politics of the city and expressed interest in further action.

This meeting is part of a series we are organizing around the city.

FAU and ZSP Organize International Day of Action at OBI Stores in Poland and Germany

2011-02-27T22:49:00.000+01:00

On February 25-26, pickets took place in nearly 20 cities in Poland and Germany, protesting against bad working conditions and union repression in OBI.

The action campaign was started by ZSP in Poland at the beginning of the year at the request of a couple of comrades from OBI and some workers from several cities who started to network on the internet. The main reason the campaign was started were incidents of union repression in the store in Krakow. So far OBI has fired a unionist there, threatened another with dismissal and refused to renew the contract of a third. In Walbrzych a worker who spoke out against bad working conditions received a disciplinary warning. The news about the formation of a union in OBI, which had no unions since the pioneer union in the chain was repressed in 2001, got employees around the country talking about working conditions in the stores and what they could do about them.

The comrades from FAU quickly offered support, noting that the company had a terrible reputation for union busting in Germany as well. As a result, there is worker representation in very few OBI stores in Germany.

FAU points out that OBI is owned by the Tengleman Group, which owns a few supermarket and hypermarket chains, including Kaiser's and Plus. The Emily case of a fired cashier was famous in Germany and FAU participated in solidarity pickets. They also organized solidarity actions at more than 70 Plus supermarkets in Germany in 2006 when that firm, which operates in many countries, fired a comrade from the CNT-AIT in Spain. Poor working conditions and repression of organized labour is common throughout this group.

During the International Day of Action in solidarity with OBI workers, FAU and ZSP informed people of some of the demands of workers in Poland such as receiving a 125 euro raise, replacing old and dangerous equipment (esp. forklifts), improving health and safety measures, ending pay discrimination against women, stopping the repression of unionists and withdrawal of electronic salespeople. Workers, customers and passersby in both countries expressed their wide support of these actions.

On Feb. 25, a protest was held in Berlin. On the 26th there were protests in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, Katowice, Czestochowa, Dabrowa Gorniczna, Gorzow, Aachen, Kiel, Bonn, Freiburg, Halle, Hamburg, Solingen, Opladen, Hilden, Russelsheim and Recklinghausen. A few cities declared they would make actions in the next few days.

More information about the situation in OBI can be found in Polish, English and German here:
http://www.zsp.net.pl/OBI_warsaw_picket
http://internationalworkersassociation.blogspot.com/2011/01/first-electronic-saleswomen-appear-in.html
http://internationalworkersassociation.blogspot.com/2011/01/obi-takes-revenge-against-union.html
http://www.fau.org/soli/obi
http://www.fau.org/artikel/art_110226-105507
http://mobing2000.blogspot.com/
http://internationalworkersassociation.blogspot.com/2011/01/sind-die-obi-arbeiterinnen-bereit-fur_07.html
http://www.zsp.net.pl/OBI_tragiczna_sytuacja_pracownikow
http://www.pracownik.net.pl/obi_w_niemczech_skapy_gryzon_bez_rad_pracowniczych_0
http://www.pracownik.net.pl/krakow_w_obi_jest_robota_dla_robota
http://www.pracownik.net.pl/miedzynarodowy_dzien_solidarnosci_z_pracownikami_obi

Action at OTTO Office in Warsaw

2011-02-23T22:53:00.001+01:00

Activists from the ZSP and a comrade from PA again visited the Warsaw office of OTTO Workforce. We went in with a list of complaints and demands to the company, listing some of the concrete abused OTTO committed against a list of workers and demanding they are paid what they were owed. We brought radio journalists and people from one of the main TV stations with us, to record the reaction of the company.

Despite the fact that OTTO's PR-trained management claim in the media that they listen to and deal with the complaints of the workers, nobody in OTTO Warsaw office wanted to talk to us or even take the letter prepared. All they did was try to get rid of us and pass the responsibility onto other people. They told us to bring our protest to the Wroclaw office (no problem), they told us to talk to Holland (we already did). Such tactics just show the level of arrogance of a firm that feels no responsibility at all for its broken promises and exploitation of workers.

We will keep informing people of the situation and more people have come forward to expose what is happening to them in Holland.

Campaign for Workers' Rights in OTTO Begins with Actions in Holland, Poland and Slovakia

2011-02-12T22:56:00.001+01:00

Some workers cheated by the OTTO temp agency are fighting back!

They don't get the conditions promised to them in their contracts and job interviews and the company makes money off a system of fines used at the workers' "hotels". The end result - people work and don't get paid, or they wind up paying too much money for substandard housing which does not meet the standards of the collective labour agreement OTTO is supposed to be following.

After some Polish colleagues working in Holland were cheated by the agency, they decided to take action. The Vrije Bond in Holland, ZSP in Poland and Priama Akcia in Slovakia have all started taking action to both inform workers of their rights and encourage them to organize and take action.

Actions started on February 11. OTTO recruiting offices in Slovakia and Poland were visited. In Holland, some worker hotels were visited then and on the weekend. Information was handed out, informing potential workers about what could happen and informing people of their rights and what they can do if they have problems. Already there is a group of former workers ready to act.

We were informed on Friday that one of the former workers, who was waiting for payment for the last month of work, was fined 1000 euro but is not sure what for. This is what OTTO is doing: they refer to some "regulations" people are supposed to follow, but never gave them to these people, never had them sign that they received and agreed to these "regulations", and they do not even provide people with documentation on what they are being fined for. In this way, they skim workers' salary at their discretion and hope that none of them will fight back.

We are demanding that OTTO pay all the money they owe to these people: not only paying the money for these bullshit fines, but also money they didn't get for the first weeks of work, for sick days and equivalent for holidays.

Besides this, the campaign hopes to achieve the following demands for all OTTO workers:

1. End to fine system.
2. Give whats in the contract and what is promised.
3. Improve housing , esp. to comply with ABU CAO (collective labour
agreement). Agreement guarantees 10m per person, proper sanitary
conditions, etc.
4. No delayed payments, no short payments. They are obliged to pay all
in full by the 10th day after the end of the month.
5. There is a discrimatory contractual penalty. Workers are fined 500
euros if they quit without notice, but employers can terminate without
notice. This fine should be eliminated, especially since many workers
quit work because they are not getting what they are promised. Then they are fined 500 euro.
6. End to penalty about confidentiality. Workers should be able to
describe their work conditions freely.

More about the problems in OTTO can be found on the campaign website: www.otto.zsp.net.pl

Webpage of Priama Akcia: www.priamaakcia.sk

Webpage of Vrije Bond: www.vrijebond.nl

Video about exploitation of Polish workers in Holland (in Dutch): "Maatregelen tegen malafide uitzendbureaus": http://nieuwsuur.nl/video/216166-maatregelen-tegen-malafide-uitzendburea...
Article about Polish workers'hotels (in Dutch): http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/1833963/20...

Revolution for Egypt

2011-02-04T22:58:00.000+01:00

Speech for Demo at Egyptian Embassy in Warsaw:

The human urge for freedom and dignity burns intensely in Egypt. We support this urge for change, for greater freedom and a chance to shape ones own life. Only we ask the question: what next?

Will the Egyptian people exchange one authoritarian, unaccountable leader for another with a shorter term in office? Or just transfer power from a narrow group of rulers to a wider one? Or will the people take, for themselves, more direct control over their lives, creating community and workplace decision-making practices?

Will the people settle for regime change and then become passive observers for the rest of their lives?

Will freedom come to mean the absence of governmental and religious invigilation and control, or will it only be a symbolic gesture?

Will changes to the economy mean more of the same: property in the hands of the wealthy, with the great masses slaving in poverty? Or will it mean common ownership and equal distribution?

The people in Poland remember the time when „freedom” was one of the main slogans of a movement, when the masses inspired to make changes fought for regime change – and won.

But what happened next with many of the postulates of the movement should be a warning for all. Instead of having more control in the workplace, we have only symbolic representation. Instead of mass improvement of living conditions for all, we have thriving elites and widespread poverty. Instead of giving the next generation hope of a better life, they are burdened and stressed by competition, uncertainty and class disadvantages. Instead of working in dignity, we beg for crumbs from our employers and accept all sort of humiliation to survive in this economy. And instead of creating a more just society, we have created one of the have and have nots, with growing misery for the poor.

Politically, we have traded one band of authoritarian rulers for cliques of cronies who stay in power for decades, we have traded political disenfranchisement for political passivity and ambivalence.

Our wish for the people of Egypt and all that follow is to do a better job fighting and not give up your potential power to the next band of leaders claiming they have solutions for you! Organize yourself: in neighbourhood committees, in workplace unions and councils, in regional federations, even at the international level. Keep the power as close to the ground as possible – decide things with direct democracy, in open assemblies, not by choosing leaders who do not answer to you! Any people you delegate, your answer directly to the people, to the decisions they make amongst themselves on the most basic level! Do not allow yourself to be governed, because to be governed means to lose your freedom!

Egyptian people! The sign of true progress is the movement towards real equality: material and social. The „revolution” is nothing if it does not move the great masses of the Egyptian poor out of poverty, humiliation and misery into a position of being equal citizens, not only with equal rights, but with equal life conditions.

Egyptian people! Rise up, but not only against your current political leadership! Organize against the bosses that enslave you and the system that keeps your masses in poverty and want.

Long live freedom and revolution – real revolution, not regime change! Real freedom – direct democracy, without bosses or governors!

Problems with the Otto Temp Agency

2011-02-02T23:00:00.000+01:00

Over the last few years, there have been tons of complaints about the practices of the Otto Workforce temp agency, in particular from Poles being sent to work abroad in Holland. It has found itself on at least one internet blacklist as an agency which cheats workers. Some people who work there or worked there in the past, have contacted AGA and ZSP about various problems, asking what they can do. At the very least, they ask us to warn people and inform them of their rights and what can be done if they are cheated.

From various letters, complaints on our internet forum and personal conversations, we present a preliminary list of the most typical problems. We are speaking to more people and are hoping to be able to present more facts soon. An information campaign aimed at potential and current workers should also start soon.

False Promises in Poland

One of the most typical problems is that the work promised in Poland looks different in reality. Sometimes workers are told that they will be doing one job, but when they arrive in Holland, they are offered something completely different. Also, sometimes workers sign up with friends or family members in Poland and are assured they will work together, but may be split up upon arrival.They are typically promised 40 hours a week, over a certain period of time, but it happens that they don't get a full work schedule or that there is no work for weeks. In the worst situations, people are sent back before they've earned any money.

Irregular Working Hours

Many workers are bused to many different work places; sometimes there is no work but people must be on call. Some workers estimate that 25-30% of their colleagues at any given time only had sporadic jobs, for example twice a week. Sometimes, in order to give more hours, people are forced to work overtime. An 11-12 hour day is typical for overtime, but there have been cases when people have to work even up to 20 hours a day.

Wages, Payment, Fines

It is rare (but has been reported) that workers don't get at least minimum wages – but typically a good portion of the money is eaten by OTTO. The first thing is the overinflated housing payments. There are also other deductions – for example, for insurance. Money is returned by the Dutch government for insurance (300-400 euros a year) but is sent to Otto, not reimbursed to workers.

Newly arrived people work without proper documents (ie. SOFI), for a few weeks. They are not given paid vacation or extra payments on holidays. Despite the fact that insurance premiums are deducted from their salaries, they are often not paid for times they are ill and are fined for taking sick days.

The workers complain about numerous fines imposed on them. They are regularly fined especially at the workers' hotels and barracks, where charges are invented, people even fined for being messy. This is often done in an arbitrary way and the company tend to charge all the people in a room for the infactions of one person. The workers often don't find out about these fines until pay day and people who have complained have been shown the door.

Finally, there are sometimes problems with late payments. In cases where workers have been fired without notice, they have reported being sent away without payment and having trouble collecting anything.

Housing Problems – a Main Source of Wage Reduction

Many people have complained about the housing conditions in many locations in Holland. This became well-known and articles were written even in the mainstream press.

Recently, some propaganda videos have appeared on You Tube, ostensibly presenting people who work at Otto showing off their fine living conditions. People who have been suppose that this is nothing more than the firm's PR and that the conditions are not like in the films. The films try to portray substandard housing in the woods as being something like a ''park”, or something like a nice summer camp.

The reality of these „camps” are a little different. Many of the places are quite isolated, in the woods, far from everything. They are often 20 kms from any city. Social life is contained around the company housing and even the “company store” or bar.

Workers also complain they have to wake up very early to be transported to work, often riding 1,5-2 hours. After work, since the bus picks people up from various locations, they may have to wait an hour or more to get a ride back. Often this means they can spend 3 to even 6 hours a day getting back and forth to work.

One place that many new employees live in is Laarbruch, in Germany, 20 kilometers from Holland. People are housed in converted former barracks of British forces near Weeze airport. Once a week, the company organizes abus to a shop, a half hour away. Dozens of rooms share one toilet and kitchen.

In the rooms, many people complain about mold, overcrowding, dirty facilities with broken equipment. Camping houses, like in Uddel, are not fit for living in winter. It is obvious that the agency and its cronies are running a racket, and earning off the workers in this way, by making them overpay for inadequate conditions. There have been incidents where workers who complained about the bad conditions were thrown out in the middle of the night without any notice, just to teach the others a lesson: keep quiet. Some people thrown out of the workers' hostels were, in this way, also fired without notice and left without payment to fend for themselves. People who complain about housing have also been harrassed or did not have their contracts renewed.

The money earned on workers' housing is considerable. In Woerden, 4-5 people are often housed together, each paying 280 euros a month, making the total cost more than 1000 euros. Local realtors rent whole houses for that price. Locals often offer flats for 300 euros, but Otto doesn't like this, since they want you to be on call and ready to be picked up at their hotel. If they knock on your door at 6AM and inform you of work, you should be ready to go within 15 minutes. There was one reported case that somebody moved out of Otto housing and the company did not want to pick him up or find him any work.

Otto charges the same price for housing, regardless of the conditions. This also leads to a pathological situation where some will perform extra favours in exchange for a transfer to better housing.

Workers Write

Below is a letter written by some Polish workers describing what kind of problems they had with fines arbitrarily imposed on them through Otto housing.

Our names are P. and A.. We'd like to present the story of what happened to us in Holland. Upon arriving in this country, we came across an attractive offer of work through the OTTO work agency. At the end of October, we went to an interview in the office in the Hague.

We signed a three-month contract. The day before we were to leave for work, they changed the place that we were supposed to live in; we had certain conditions guaranteed in our contracts. The contract guaranteed us housing at the cost of 280 euros per person in a two-person room. The reality turned out different. They put us in a room with 4 people but made us pay the same price.

From the beginning we tried to change either the place of housing or the room, so it would be like they promised. Our manager said it was impossible to move. We were sent to the hotel manager, but we didn't manage anything.

The big overcrowding in the workers hotel (120 people), created a stressful situation amongst residents. This was the result of too few bathrooms, toilets and the other facilities which the hotel should have provided.

Our problems, like other resident workers, started from:

Delayed payment of wages. (And a week before the holidays, our weekly payments were short. Our monthly payments were also too low, not in accordance with the hourly rate. We received 190 euro for 2 weeks, and for one month only 270 euro.
Residents at the hotel, besides paying 280 euro for housing, had to pay for clearning to a couple of people working and living at the hotel which the manager assigned.
People were fined with yellow or red cards and the fines were taken out of our salary. These fines were deducted without our knowledge or any investigation. For example, we were fined for supposedly damaging a fire detector, which diddn't work when we arrived. They deducted 400 euros from the salary of each of the four people living in the room.
If you took a day off work, you were fined 13 euro. If you were late five minutes for the company transport, you were fined 15 euros, even if there were regular buses going to the workplace.
If security was called to your room, 80 euros were deducted. Even people who are sleeping can received fine. One day, there was a conflict between A. and one of the people in the room, who hit him over the head. A. had to go to the hospital. He didn't get a chance to explain the incident and, when he got out of the hospital, was called in by OTTO security. The security, instead of investigating or calling the police, fined everybody. Then, it turned out these two guys had a criminal history. They checked us for a criminal record when we signed a contract, but not them. A week later, the security threw one of the guys out. A. was denied medical insurance and payment (6 working days) over the 3 month contract. The manager just said that, given the situation, he could extend his contract by this amount of time.
P. was fired the day before the end of the contract and said that the reason they wouldn't extend it was that he told workmates about the problems with the temporary work agency.

As a result, we feel that we have been wronged, therefore we would like to warn and inform future workers and others who have been wronged by OTTO.

For Polish workers: Zwiázek Syndykalistów Polski will publish more on OTTO plus information on what to do if your rights are violated in Polish on this page: pracownik.net.pl You can write to us at: is@zsp.net.pl

In Holland, please contact: agamsterdam@yahoo.com or ottoslaveforce@gmail.com

Call Center Action

2011-02-01T23:01:00.000+01:00

On February 1 ZSP-IWA started an information active about illegal temporary work contractds at the Call Center of Bank Millennium in Warsaw. According to the labour law, the work done by the employees at the Call Center should entitle them to permanent contracts but the bank keeps signing temporary ones.

One worker who demanded a permanent contract was fired but went to court to establish his employment relation. This is how we know of the situation. The worker asked for solidarity. ZSP thought that it would be good to phone the 24-hour Call Center using its free line and to talk to the workers. We have started a campaign. Those who call the line can encouarge the people to organize, explain the differences between forms of contracts, what the worker loses without a fixed contract or explain how they can get a permanent one. Everything depends on how long they can speak. The participants can also give them contact info to ZSP or give the address of the website pracownik.net where there is practical information on the isubjects of contracts, the legal process and the direct organization of the workers.

The action is also directed at others who will receive leaflets or can read about the action on the Internet and learn something about their workers' rights.

"Polishness", Regional Identity and Patriotism – always on the side of Capital

2011-01-21T23:03:00.000+01:00

Statement on the so-called "March of Polishness" in Katowice January 22 and the counterdemonstration planned on that day

The far-right imbeciles of NOP are again organizing a demonstration. This time they claim they are doing so "at the request of the citizens of Silesia". The inspiration for the nationalists are the demonstrations of the Silesian autonomists, trying to build a Silesian identity. This is not to the liking of the Polish nationalists, who aim to demonstrate their "Polishness".

The Silesian autonomists, in turn, try to build support for their project using arguments about benefits citizens will get from regional autonomy. However, for the working class, there is no difference between regional, Polish or international authorities, bosses and exploiters. Capitalism has only one goal: to enrich the owners at the expense of others. The national colours or country of origin of the capitalism doesn't have the slightest meaning. Neither regionalism, nor nationalism nor patriotism will ever be the basis of a movement aiming to overthrow the rule of capital. On the contrary, they can only strengthen it.

We are opposed to the constant manipulation of the nationalists who try to convince us that under their "national" leadership, exploitation won't be exploitation and repression won't be repression. We are against all attempts to channel energy aimed against power and capital into identity projects based on regionalisms or nationalisms. Our struggle is international, just like our interests: to take the means of production from the bosses and owners, to take back control over the workplaces and community and to overthrow all governments, regional, national or international, once and for all.

We don't agree with the attempts by some antifascists, anarchists and other activists who are trying to "reclaim" the idea of patriotism, suggesting that nationalists are not "real patriots", and that the idea of patriotism itself can be defended. Patriotism does not deserve to be rehabilitated. It is only a tool in the hands of cynic political operators who use the principle of "divide and conquer" trying to pit workers against each other.

Building political identity based on national and the state instead of on the grassroots class struggle is the force that drives nationalism, wars carried out in the interest of capital and the false consciousness of workers. Let's break with these superstitions and instead let's declare that workers have no countries, and the arena for our struggle is the entire world.

No war between nations, no peace between classes!

Citizens Confront Local Government, Conflict Heats Up

2011-01-21T18:22:00.002+01:00

Today a group of more than 60 people went to the local council of the Praga district in Warsaw to confront politicians and try to force politicians to resume the session of the local council, which is being run by a group appointed by the President after the chairwoman of the last session (in November) called a break and never resumed it. A council session was opened but soon turned into pandamonium.
Besides politicians and citizens calling that chairwoman a criminal, it also turned out that one councilman from the neoliberal party was the object of newspaper headlines today, claiming that he was charged with possessing child pornography and trying to have sexual relations with a teenaged boy. He admitted the latter but claimed that the pornography was a "set up" by members of the other party who wanted to get rid of him. Another group of people came in, demanding that this councilman resign. All hell broke loose, everybody was shouting and accusing each other. Amidst the confusion, the chairwoman, who the others had been trying to remove as chair, called another break and quickly ran away before anybody could stop her.

Some people started to get up, scream, make speeches. A shouting match broke out between citizens and politicians, with each side threatening each other. One politician was even threatening to get his neighbours from the mafia after some local activists, who also made their threats. In the end, the presidential appointees remain in charge of the neighbourhood, nobody knows when things will resume and all matters are suspended in the neighbourhood. Again, the ZSP reminds the politicians that they just annoy us and should not even exist. While different people came and demanded the resignation of concrete politicians or members of concrete parties, we say that none of them are necessary for us, and they only serve to annoy us and live off our tax money. As the people and politicians parted, people reminded the members of the council that they know where they live and that next time, they will see more resolute action.

Statement of ZSP Against the Farce of Local Government: Politicians Hide, We Tell them Not to Come Back

2011-01-20T17:22:00.001+01:00

In an unprecendented breach of democratic procedures, the ruling party and the left refuse to show up to the City Council. Tenant activists and members of ZSP took over the hall and ZSP announced that we would be happy if the politicians never showed up to work again. Both groups promised to raise hell and start procedures to recall politicians. ZSP also will try to hold organize a popular movement against the politicians.

In a couple of neighbourhoods, where the democratically elected local councils are not controlled by the neo-liberals from the ruling party, there has been active sabotage of the democratic process, in order to gain control. In the Praga neighbourhood, where ZSP has its seat and is very active, control of the local council means control of housing and the gentrification process since certain decisions lie in their competence.

In that neighbourhood, a power struggle has been going on for a few years. In an absolutely absurd procedural trick, ruling politicians, also having control over various courts, decided that the local council has been working illegally since 2006. It was then that, during a conflict, the Chairwoman of the meeting, from the ruling party, called a break, ran out of the room and (literally) hid in a closet. Since she never officially called the session reopened, it was decided that all the sessions held from 2007-2009 were invalid and, one evening in December 2009, every decision had to be re-voted. ZSP and the tenants organized a mobilization during this time to oppose this farce and try to prevent manipulations.

After the November elections, the ruling party decided that this trick worked so well the first time, they would try it again. During the session dedicated to appointments, the Chairwoman, again from the neoliberals, broke the session and never renewed it. This meant that appointments to certain positions and commissions were not made within the statutory period and, according to the City Charter, the President is then allowed to appoint the people herself. Which is what she did.

On Jan. 14, these appointees were in the local council building and tenants activists and members of ZSP went there with a wheelbarrel to cart them off and created a disturbance. Since these people had decided it would not appoint a housing commission, this basically meant that nobody could receive any municipal housing (!!!) since the commission is needed for this. In other words, the city ruling party, which wants to basically liquidate as much public housing as possible, used this method to try and avoid giving people flats.

We reminded people that we think this commission is crooked anyway, and our postulate is that the people should decide about public housing, not politicians and bureaucrats. ZSP declared that it is fine is there is no commission since we can call one ourselves and show people where the empty flats are.

Confronted with this, the politicians organized a commission.

Then, there was also the question of why these people appointed by the President were there and when they would be recalled. Not that we are in favour of other politicians - it was just that this move was far too outrageous! There was an official petition to the City and the City Council was supposed to resolve this issue today,

Of course, they have no desire to recall the people specially planted as the rulers of our neighbourhood. So the ruling party and the left party decided to boycott the session, which resulted in a lack of quorom.

A crowd of activists had gathered in the Council. Some had received a signal that this might happen, but others had hoped to raise a ruckus about the authoritarian manipulations and farce organized by the neoliberals. An effigy of the woman who pulled this bullshit trick in the local council was brought. When it became clear that there would be no session, a little hell broke loose. The activists took over the council hall and denounced the tricks of the politicians. Leaflets and posters were distributed, complaining that they don't do any work anyway, and are an unnecessary group of parasites. Some interviews were made on TV with statements about recalling the politicians, occupying the administration and telling the politicians not to bother to come back.

ZSP Statement

Today the neoliberal vampires from PO and their chain dogs from SLD conspired to boycott the session of the City Council. In the empty halls of the Council, we also found reason for celebration: the long awaited absence of our masters. We maintain the idea that the City would be a much better place if they NEVER came to work and if, instead of being enslaved by their (anti-social) decisions, we all ran the city ourselves.

As the politicians fight for control over our common wealth and assets, we declare that they constitute a thieving, parasite class that we aim to get rid off. While the people are lulled into passivity by representative democracy, some still notice what they are doing - and we oppose their manipulations!

Instead of them, we choose direct democracy, together with our neighbours, open and transparent, to the benefit of all, and not only to those with power and connections.

Politicians! You stayed home today - so don't come back!

Long live popular organization and resistance!

Confrontation against Frontex and head of European Council

2011-01-18T11:32:00.001+01:00

On Jan. 17, on the 97th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, a conference on migration policy was held at the Kazimierowski Palace featuring keynote speakers Ilkka Laitinen, Executive Director of Frontex and former British Home Secretary Charles Clarke and attended by various Eurocrats and migrant hunters. Although we found out about this only at the last minute, some people from ZSP and RAS (Radical Solidarity Action) were able to get into the closed conference and made an extended confrontation.

Frontex chief Laitinen was particularly confronted about recent actions at the Greek Turkish border, iucluding incidents of shooting at migrants and press reports that a few people left their work there because they refused to shoot migrants. Laitinen denied everything, calling it a pack of lies and refused to answer questions about deaths of migrants. The debate got hot, with one woman from RAS and one from ZSP shouting Laitinen down. The member of ZSP pointed out the way in which Frontex was militarized and the controversy around this. There was no intervention by security and both Clarke and Laitinen refusing to address the questions and calling critics of Frontex anarchists. (In this case they were right.)

Prior to this, there was a couple of confrontations with Preident of the European Council Herman van Rompuy. The first was accidental when an individual from ZSP found herself in the morning on the Brussels-Warsaw flight with van Rompuy and other Eurocrats and decided to bother him about the bailout package in Greece, plans for Spain and Portugal and other assorted matters. Upon arrival in Warsaw, we learned that van Rompuy and Latinen were to speak in the same venue but there was not enough time to go to and intervene in van Rompuy's speech. However, just after it, and in the break prior to the conference on migration policy (held in another hall), van Rompuy found himself cornered by a few Eurosceptics, a couple of socialists and anarchists. Bodyguards and state security agents intervened and whisked him away. He did not make it to the conference on migration.

Activists Confront Local Authorties

2011-01-18T10:46:00.000+01:00

On Jan. 14, members of the Tenants Defense Committee and ZSP confronted local authorities in the Praga neighbourhood. The local government is now led by people put in place by the ruling neo-liberal party, in part of a procedural manipulation to take control over the two neighbourhoods in Warsaw where they were not elected. Such maneouvres (too complicated to explain here) have been going on for three years. To give a small hint, the head of the local council made a break in a session years ago and did not reopen the session. Later it was claimed that the session was never ended and subsequent ones were thus never legally opened. All decisions taken for a couple of years were then considered invalid and revoted in one session last year. Currently, a similar maneouvre took place, and thus the elected authorities could not be confirmed and the President installed her people, who subsequently tried to delay things for months.

Although we do not support any of the factions in the local council, we understand that the maneouvres of the President of the City is strictly connected to the desire to control this neighbourhood in particular, in order to speed up the gentrification process. It is significant that the authorities did not want to appoint a housing commission, which is the body responsible for assignining municipal housing. Without a commission appointed, there would be no way for anybody to get public housing in the neighbourhood. Therefore, we reminded then of our demands that the neighbourhoods be under popular control and said that if there is no housing commission, that we form it ourselves and tell people which flats are free and encourage people to go live there. The authorities then decided that it is better for them to appoint a commission.

Protestors showed up with a wheelbarrow to take away the politicians and interrupted the session with the protest, reminding them of the problems of the neighbourhood and our postulates. We also opposed the continued manipulations and interference of the President in local matters and the attempts to override and overturn the results of the elections.

Picket at OBI

2011-01-14T08:07:00.001+01:00

On Jan. 12, members of ZSP picketed OBI in Warsaw. In the morning, leaflets were handed out at OBI headquarters. In the evening, a picket was held in front of one of the stores. The date was not coincidental; that morning a court case started against the firm in Krakow where a woman fired for union activism took the firm to court to fight for her reinstatement.

At the Warsaw store, our comrades went inside and leafletted the customers while a smaller group stayed in front with a banner. People were given MOBI stickers, featuring the MOBI monster, symbol of mobbing inside the firm. Many people were interested in the situation and expressed their disapproval of the firm's labour practices.

After the action, we found out that the Krakow store decided to fire more union members, as a part of "regular reduction". They haven't been handed notices yet, but the union has been informed of this. We also heard that, under pressure to make a deal and discouraged by others, the worker took compensation and gave up asking for reinstatement. However, she says she is happy not to go bad to work at OBI, a firm which harrassed her and, when she had found work elsewhere, informed her new employees, causing her to be fired again. She said that she especially dressed in red and black when meeting with the bosses. We heard that other workers, after the action, also tried to wear some red and black elements to work under their uniforms, or as accessories. From one internet forum, we hear that people are talking about the situation and discussing what to do about firings, mobbing and the electronic salespeople who may appear in their shops.

First Electronic Saleswomen Appear in Warsaw OBI; Workers Speak about Discrimination of Women in Chain

2011-01-10T19:58:00.002+01:00

Yesterday ZSP members who went to one OBI store in Warsaw found it closed for stock-taking. Today, in the store we found that OBI has started introducing electonic salespeople in Warsaw.

To remind readers, workers in OBI in Krakow were being psychologically pressured and threatened with eventual replacement by "electronic salespeople". Some of them want to take action against their introduction. We were surprised to learn that they are already now a reality.

ZSP will campaign against the replacement of real people by these computerized dolls. On Wednesday we are picketing against the repression of unionists in OBI and for the improvement of working conditions. We will now also be sure to take some action about the "electrosalespeople" and draw people's awareness to their significance.

In the meanwhile, it is coming to light that in OBI, pay discrimination against women is basically the norm. We will be trying to document this. The mainstream unions which operate in a few stores in the chain announced that they will start fighting for raises for the employees and the eliminate this discrimination.

www.zspwawa.blogspot,com

Solidarity with Student Protests in UK

2010-12-13T21:46:00.001+01:00

Today there was a picket at the British Embassy in Warsaw in solidarity with the protests against tuition hikes and educational cuts. A couple of dozen people from various left organizations turned out, mostly students and teachers. ZSP members distributed booklets about the Bologna process and came with calls for free education on libertarian principles. It raised criticism of the educational system and capitalism in general, thus bringing a more radical point of view to the people at the demo. Protestors pointed out that it is high time to organize more resistance in Poland, which is probably one of the few countries in Europe which does not have a strong student movement and has not seen any large protests about the commericalization of education. All agreed that students, teachers, parents and just concerned citizens should be fighting against this process, which concerns the future of society and sharpens class divisions.

Solidarity with Bus Drivers!

2010-12-13T21:37:00.000+01:00

Solidarity to the Struggling Workers of PKS Suwalki

On the Role of State Institutions in Collaborating Against Workers' Action

For months there have been problems between the workers of PKS Suwalki and the management. PKS Suwalki is a bus company employing over 400 people, which also operates in Elk, Augustow, Olecko, Goldap and Sejny. It was commericalized in 2006 but was still owned by the State Treasury. Then it was unclear whether or not it would be privatized; in the end it was taken over by the Voivodship and remains a public entity.

Last year problems started with threats of reductions, restructuring and changing the status of the offices on location from independent offices to simple bus terminals. On April 1, 2009, drivers in Augustow held a small wildcat strike. Jaroslaw Zaborowski from the Self-Managed Independent Union of PKS Workers was fired for the strike. He took this to court and later was reinstated.

In PKS Suwalki there are 6 union organizations. Five of them started last year to fight the proposed restructurization process, proposed the communalization of the company rather than its privatization and started exposing the shady activity of the management. For example, it was proven that the management was taking money out the workers' social fund to pay into the company budget. In the past, workers received about 100 euros a year from the fund that they themselves pay into; after the management started dipping into it, the workers received nothing.

The unions also argued that the worsening financial condition of the company was not the fault of the crisis, but of bad management. They started to fight to dismiss the managers.

In April of 2010, two unionists, again Zaborowski and Boguslaw Brynda from the Free Union of Drivers, were fired for "acting to the detriment of the company". This is because they spoke about this situation in the press.

Following the dismissals, the management attempted to get other workers and unions against these people. It is a typical manipulation made by bosses in Poland, to try and convince workers that activity of this sort "ruins companies" and will be bad for workers, while they themselves misuse funds and then impose misery on the workers, who are expected to work more and earn less, to boost profits. In this pluralistic union landscape, we have seen time and time again that the bosses try to single out the smaller, more militant unions and put their membership first in line when reduction time comes.

In recent months, the bosses managed to pacify two of the five fighting unions, who resigned from their original demand. They dealt a repressive blow to another two. But Zaborowski and Brynda did not give up, taking the case to court and intensifying their campaign at the bus company, even while fired. We were delighted to learn that both have been reinstated to their jobs.

But the matter isn't over yet. The court is deciding a criminal case against Stanislaw Bilda, the Chairman of the Board of PKS Suwalki. The unionists decided to try to get court decisions against Bilda, for their illegal dismissal and the misuse of the social funds. If the court decides against Bilda is both cases, he should have to be dismissed from his position. A decision is due on Tuesday, December 14.

We are angry about the widespread use of the blanket term "acting to the detriment of the company" which is commonly used against unionists to repress them for their activity. After one of our comrades from ZSP was fired this way and fought back, we started to hear from unionists from all over the country who met with similar fates, and, most often they were fired for giving interviews in newspapers. The acceptance of such grounds for dismissal is nothing more than a tool for repressing workers' activity, limiting their abilities to expose abuse and illegal activities in their workplaces, which we know is very common.

Labour courts, the institutions which are supposed to protect workers' rights, often accept such grounds. Even when they determine that somebody was illegally fired, they often do not reinstate them to work. We are very happy that Zaborowski and Brynda did not meet this fate - but it is what is now happening to a majority of union activists in Poland.

The other problem we see is that, in conflicts, the workers bear the brunt of repression and have a lot to lose. Many who are fired have trouble finding other jobs or may be blacklisted. As many also had very low incomes, the loss of a job can lead them immediately into debt and many related problems. So workers get the message that, if they fight, they can lose a lot.

On the other hand, what usually happens to a boss when he is guilty of illegally firing somebody? The maximum fine one can get is 30,000 zloties - or 7500 euros. There are many companies happy to risk paying this amount to get rid of some unionists. But the fact is that almost nobody gets a fine like this. And in the case of Zaborowski and Brynda, the State Labour Inspectorate itself has suggested that a fine of 3000 zloties (750 euros) would be more appropriate.

We see this situation very clearly and understand what side the Law is really on. We call on all working people to understand this too and to understand that Justice is not guaranteed by the State and its institutions.

What we need is more workers' solidarity, more common action, organization and direct action in the workplace. It is through this type of action that we can really bring the bosses to account, and maybe one day even get rid of them.

*****

Solidarity with Bus Drivers of MZK Kedzierzyn-Kozle

Better Public Transport, Better Working Conditions in All our Interest

We have been informed of the situation of municipal bus drivers in Kedzierzyn-Kozle. This year they were not given the 5% wage increase they had been promised in 2009. Besides this, the "motivational bonuses", which were an important part of their salary, were "unofficially liquidated" - in other words, nobody has received these since February.

Unionists pointed out how the company was badly managed but also about how some other factors, like detours which had to be made because of the flood, led to some losses. The workers were made to pay. They threatened to strike, but in the end did not take this decisive action since many were convinced that times were bad and they just had to tighten their belts. Now some workers have written to inform us that the boss of MZK KK, who explained all year about how there is "no money", has received a year-end bonus from the President of the City.

We can only express our disgust with this situation. Public transport is treated more and more as an enterprise which much produce profit and not serve the interests of the community. All cuts which are made are aimed at workers. Some get pay decreases or have their wages frozen. Around Poland, more and more contract workers are hired, sometimes from Ukraine, who are encouraged to work long hours for little money to the point where it can be a danger to public safety. All in the name of profit - profit for the bosses and the politicians.

Many cities make drastic cuts in public transportation, claiming that some routes are "unprofitable", or try to run fewer buses, forcing more and more people into more crowded transportation conditions. This in turn makes fewer people use it: one of the main reasons people stop using public transport is that they have to wait longer and travel in uncomfortable conditions. It is a vicious circle caused by a near-sighted public transport policy.

The results we all know: crowded roads, pollution, illogical use of natural resources and extra costs for working class people.

Public money should be used for the public good, and this includes ensuring a proper public transportation system and good working conditions for the drivers and other employees. While the politicians cry their tears about how "things are not profitable" and how "taxpayers have to pay" to finance this system, we say FINE. Not everything is for profit. We will not be fooled by the politicians' manipulations - taxpayers pay anyway - but a good deal of the money is wasted - going for politicians salaries, bonuses for bosses and bureaucrats, overpriced and sometimes useless investments so that some friend can make some money. THIS is what we shouldn't be paying for!

NO BONUS TO THE BOSS! BONUSES FOR THE WORKERS OF MZK KK!

Tenants Meet About Reprivatization

2010-12-13T21:35:00.001+01:00

On Dec. 10, over 100 people met to talk about the reprivatization of their buildings. There was a presentation about what to expect and what could be done, with emphasis on taking direct action and immediate organizing for mutual self-defense.

The meeting was focused on one neighbourhood and we plan to make similar meetings all throughout January, each time focusing on a different neighbourhood.

Notices were delivered to houses which were on a list maintained by the city. Despite the fact that the city claims this is "confidential information" which may not be copied or disseminated, we will not be deterred and we plan to reach as many people as possible.

Warsaw Rent Strike: Community Organizing and Activization in the Context of Social Atomization

2010-12-05T20:16:00.001+01:00

In Warsaw a rent strike has been going on since Oct.1. Despite the fact that the issues may effect up to a quarter of a million people in Poland's capital city, we cannot say that a significant percent of public housing tenants have joined. This is mainly due to a lack of tradition and the extreme social atomization of the population - something typical in many post-Soviet bloc era countries. There is also the issue of a minuscule grassroots social movement and the disdain of the left for anything radical and outside the realms of reformist and party politics. [1]

The Warsaw ZSP, which called the strike, had no illusions from the beginning and saw the action as a long-term one, one that would start off with the participation of the most desperate, with nothing to lose, but which could grow as people saw the support network expanding. We see the activization of people in the community as the key challenge and the element which can ultimately change the situation. For us, two months into the beginning of the action, the strike is really just starting.

ZSP saw the strike as a necessary escalation of social protest against antisocial housing policies, the mass privatization of public housing and gentrification. More importantly, it is also a way to activate the growing number of people who cannot pay their rents, or who for other reasons risk becoming homeless to organize themselves and fight back instead of falling into despair and misery.

We became involved the tenants' movement about a year and a half ago as the city of Warsaw was introducing a range of unprecedented measures, ranging from drastic rent hikes, increased privatization of public housing and stricter rules for application for public housing. Our members formed the Tenants Defense Committee [2] together with neighbors.

The first protests were connected to the drastic rent hikes adopted in Warsaw - ranging from 200-300%. However, for many, rents were actually raised much higher due to the penalty rates imposed by the city. The city can charge 300% more is a tenant is in debt, or if some paperwork in the past was not fulfilled. In the worst case scenario, some bureaucrat in the city did not fulfill some requirement and now the tenant has to pay.

Despite many protests, and formal attempts to overturn the city's vote, the administration would not bend. The local government argued that the extra would be used to restore ruined housing. But in the end, a meager 1% of the money really went for repairs.

Many people simply cannot afford the new rents, especially the elderly. More and more people also live in housing which has been changed from public housing to privatized through the reprivatization process. [3] Reprivatization has already effected tens of thousands of people. After a house ceases to be municipal housing, the new landlords can raise the rent as well. Many tenants have to choose between paying for food and medicine or paying the rent. There is not nearly enough social help for people and many of the most needy find themselves excluded from the system. For example, there is some aid available for people with low incomes - only you are excluded from it if you are in debt (!!!) or if there were some problems with your paperwork. Scandalously, this decision to make debtors ineligible for rent deductions was made at a time a large proportion of people were already in debt. Over the last year, the percentage has increased dramatically, with some neighbourhoods reporting 50-60% of public housing tenants in debt and at risk of eviction.

In the context of the current, widespread social atomization, a really obscene situation has been created. People in general act as if this situation is their own personal tragedy. This is part of the internalization of the dominant neoliberal logic; if somebody cannot pay their rent, then it is not the system at fault and certainly it is not the fault of greedy landlords and speculators, or scummy politicians would would rather redecorate their offices and spend public money on bonuses for their cronies then on public housing. The neoliberal logic places the blame on the individual: if you don't have enough money to buy your own flat, it is your fault and you should suffer the consequences. On top of this internalized message, there is the implication that people who ask for public housing are something like freeloaders and, unfortunately, people are often made to feel as such by politicians and public housing officials. But the most decisive factors are the feeling of social powerlessness, that nothing can be done, and the lack of motivation to engage oneself in this type of activism with neighbours. The latter is also fueled by years of collective resentment that has pitted people against each other, rather than the system that is hurting them. We unfortunately encounter cases where neighbours show a lack of solidarity to each other, for example because they are convinced that their neighbour is in debt because of some personal defects.

All of these elements have made it very difficult to build a stronger and more effective response to the housing issue. In the situation were we have had to start from nothing, we have to realize what a huge success the tenants movement has become on the bleak social landscape of our city. This is however in relative terms; in absolute terms, our mobilization power is several hundred people out of hundreds of thousands. So we see that all of this is just the tip of the iceberg for us. But we must never get discouraged as it takes this building process to reach more people and greater proportions.

So many people are at risk of eviction. In countries where there are more developed social movements, it might seem amazing that the whole city is not on strike. But we are in Poland. One of the only countries where mass privatization of education and health care has not been met by mass protests (or any significant protests at all for that matter). It is the only country in Europe which had strong growth during the crisis period but despite this, workers massively accepted reductions and pay cuts rather than strike. Such a social vacuum is hard to explain and even harder to understand if you have not experienced it yourself. In this vacuum though, a tiny number of groups carry on the resistance, together with a growing number of affected.

The process of enpowerment we see when people take action, when they refuse to give in and decide to fight for themselves is quite encouraging. Not everybody wins, but when somebody does, it is our collective victory that we all celebrate. And it is an inspiration to others that we can win. This is an important element in the rent strike for us. Rather than watching people risk eviction alone as individuals, or even helping out people as individual cases, we propose that people finally take collective action. Because ultimately, it is going to be collective action, not the solving of individual cases, that will force policy changes. If people cannot afford the rent because of rent hikes or anti-social policies, we say they should join the strike and organize themselves with others for mutual self-defense.

What kind of mutual self-defense are we talking about? Well, we will see this in upcoming months. The city gentrifiers have finally decided to repair some buildings. The problem is that, despite the fact that people have paid rents and lived miserably for years in crumbling and freezing cold buildings that the city has never bothered to care for, when they do finally want to repair the buildings, they will relocate tenants. And, not all of them will qualify for public housing.

How is that? Well, some families received public housing years ago. Practically everybody lived in it during the time of the People's Republic of Poland. After the Transition, some people remained in public housing. Some public housing was also sold to tenants - some was not and some people simply couldn't afford to buy. So currently, in public housing there are some people whose incomes exceed the meagre limit qualifying people. But the city has not decided to check all tenants' income. The whole process is random. If your house is condemned, reprivatized or repaired and you earn "too much", you are on your own. If your house is in good shape, you can stay (even if you can afford to rent on the commerical market).

One of the members of our Committee, a retired former engineer, complained to the building inspectors that his house poses a threat to the life of the tenants. (Among the common problems we see are people getting carbon monoxide poisoning, fire hazards and collapsing elements of the building.) Thanks to his intervention in favour of his neighbours, his building has been condemned. And this 73 year old, who worked hard all his life and managed to get a pension which he actually can live on, will not be moved into replacement public housing. He is "too rich". But we will do everything to prevent such a travesty. This situation is being repeated in a number of buildings where we are organizing with the tenants and, hopefully, when the day comes, the city will see what collective action means.

One of our next big campaigns has to be to increase the upper income limit to allow people to live in public housing. This is already one of the postulates of the rent strike. Currently, people who earn more than the minimum wage, or around 340 euro a month, cannot apply for municipal housing, because supposedly "they can afford commercial rent". If a building is condemned (usually due to years of deliberate and gross negligence), you have to go through this income verification process. It does not matter if you are 90 years old or if you are seriously ill. One of our members, a retired woman whose family income exceeds the limit by 25 euros, has a very ill husband whose health has been so negatively effected by stress that he may die. She received some interesting proposals from the city: maybe her son could get three jobs or marry someone rich, or maybe she could take a loan and buy something. These are the cruel realities of how Poland treats its citizens. As a response, we have asked the city, which turns a blind eye to thousands of such cases, to tell people WHERE they can find an apartment they can afford. We have even officially demanded they be useful and provide a list of apartments that people in a certain income bracket can afford. But we know we won't get that list. The fact is, these places on not available on the commercial market.

We will make a new report, but preliminary research shows that rent for a one room apartment in Warsaw starts at 400 euros a month. This leaves a lot of people who are ineligible for public housing, but cannot afford commercial rents either. For them, it is a challenge, a life of cramming people into small living spaces, living in precarious conditions. Imagine telling some couple in their 70s or 80s that they will have to leave the home they have lived in for 50 years and go spend most of their income paying rent to some landlord who can ask them to move at almost any time. This is what we are seeing on a daily basis: people coming to us in tears and hysterics, wondering how, at their age, they are going to adjust to this new situation, and whether or not they are going to survive it.

Social housing for the homeless? It exists, but there is a huge lack of it. And what there is doesn't have to comply with even the same miserable standards of public housing. Toilets in the corridor shared by many. Or perhaps, in the future, like in other cities, cold containers somewhere on the outskirts of the city, far from any shops, complete misery. Uncomfortable and miserable but, for the elderly, such conditions often complicate existing health problems or can even prove deadly.

Last year we started to help tenants on a rather large scale, although the need for intervention far exceeds our capacities. As we did this, more and more horror stories started to emerge: tenants deprived of heat, electricity or running water and access to the toilet by greedy landlords trying to evict them as fast as possible; people forced to live in houses that are in the danger of collapsing. There were also a number of fires set. In some cases, tenants - who already lived without electricity, heat or gas - were afraid to leave the house, because the landlords tried to lock them out. Last year some people started to barricade themselves in their houses and refused to be evicted, the first forms of spontaneous resistance. They survived by lowering baskets through their windows where neighbors could put food.

Since the politicians and speculators already had their plans, we also made ours. In response to these outrages, we organized a number of direct actions, sometimes with tenants of a particular house or neighborhood, sometimes with other groups. In the winter of 2009, desperate tenants whose gas was cut off in the winter occupied the office of a local housing administration, effectively blocking it for two weeks. [4] As a result of this direct action, many of the tenants received new housing with the appropriate standard.

In autumn this year, we occupied the office of the President of Warsaw in the City Hall demanding that the postulates of the tenants movement regarding access to public housing be fulfilled. On many occasions there were noisy interruptions of meetings of the City Council, forcing them to put our issues on the agenda. Sometime this has resulted in minor victories or the resolution of individual problems. But we need to hit the city much harder to get these heartless "Thatcherites on steriods" to do anything, or even to comply with the existing law, for example, in terms of housing standards.

Over the spring and summer, we started to advise people about forming their own organizations - in houses, blocks or neighbourhoods. The result was a coalition currently consisting of 32 groups, mostly such small groups of tenants. The idea was to fight together, but, as sometimes happens, there arose differences of opinions as to the methods. In the period before November elections, some more moderate tenant activists from other groups decided to run for office and, a critical time for us, called for more patience and moderate approach. [5] But we had no illusions in the political process and decided on escalating the protests by calling for the strike.

ZSP made a strong stand against participating in the elections. This had to do with more than just our anarchist convictions, which is why our decision was usually accepted and seen as being something consistent. [6] Instead, we called for tenant’s self-organization, stressing the fact that only neighborhood committees organized by tenants can solve their own problems - not the politicians who pretend to be interested once in 4 years. As part of a series of long-term actions, we are now involved in calling numerous public meetings.

Coming back to the rent strike, at each meeting we ask people, even if they are afraid and won't join the strike themselves, to think about building better community organization and to do something to support the postulates of the strike. We explain that, as we build up real community movements, we can achieve wider, longer-term goals, but we also have immediate demands, some which are urgent and require immediate action. The main demands of the rent strike include: setting affordable rents, adopting realistic income criteria for public housing based on the price of renting on the private market, building more public housing, no more privatization of buildings with tenants, repairing inadequate and dangerous housing, building new flats to replace condemned buildings, in the same neighborhoods, not ghettos. We also have to constantly monitor what the politicians are doing and block future unfavourable ammendments to the law, or decisions of the City Council.

But besides this, we want to spread another vision, and this is the idea of direct tenant and community control of public housing. And in this way, we also popularize some of the ideas of anarchism, and question some of the suppositions of the neoliberal mentality, such as the primacy of private property and the rule of "the market". This is even to the extent that some people we interacted with now see themselves as anarchists and at meetings explain to others what "we as anarchist think".

In terms of the strike, we will see how it spreads, as more and more people fall into debt and are facing eviction or the privatization or destruction of their houses. The same goes for the overall community organizing and direction actions against resettlement to ghettos and eviction.

One last thing must be mentioned. There are many irregularities in the reprivatization process and there are organized mafias which deal in forging and/or selling claims to buildings, inventing or "finding" fictious heirs or otherwise manipulating the process. As a result, we can see certain names and companies appearing again and again and, ties to some of these can be linked to the husband of the President of Warsaw and other well-connected people. What role has the city been playing in the process?

Unfortunately, one of the lasting legacies of public policy has been to deny tenants the right to information on the reprivatization process. Tenants are not considered to be parties in the cases and often learn that their homes have been privatized and they are no longer public housing tenants after the whole process as been completed. [7]

Due to this situation, people cannot take action. To make the situation worse, afterwards, even if they can prove that fraud has taken place, the Polish law will do nothing to help if the property has been sold to a third party. The law considers the sale to be "in good faith", even if fraud was used to obtain the property! The fact of the matter is that the real estate mafia conspires to sell illegally obtained buildings as soon as possible.

This is one reason that tenants organizations have been fighting for public access to information about this process. But the city deliberately makes this difficult and public officials have even lied about the existence of lists of public housing with claims in court. This reached the highest levels of the local government, with even the disgraced former Vice President telling us on public record at the City Council that these didn't exist. But these "non-existent" lists were leaked. It was at that time that ZSP decided to commit another act of defiance, by declaring that, whatever legal threats the city would try to make, we would not back down from publishing and disseminating this information which is marked "classified". The first list concerned 1500 buildings and we delivered notices to the buildings and said "let's take action".

We told the city that, if they do not give people this information, we will get it anyway, by any means possible. Shortly following this, we occupied the office of the President of Warsaw in City Hall. Although this was not a huge mass action, it was one of those things that scared the hell out of the city. The next day, the city bureaucrats promised that the list of houses would go up on the city's internet page by November 15. A victory for direct action!

Well, not entirely. As usual, they didn't not do as they promised. So... back to work. We have our hands on two more lists and are delivering them and with our tenants' group. We are holding more open meetings. These lists contain the warning that they may not be copied, published or distributed in any way without the express written consent of the President of Warsaw. And again, we openly say that we are going to defy this. And we did.

What will be the result of all this, we don't know. In the meanwhile, we will keep on fighting.

[1] Establishment leftists supported by European social democrats responded to the call for a rent strike by telling tenants not to join in and trying to scare them by claiming they would get evicted.

[2] Website (in Polish): www.lokatorzy.info.pl Some of the actions we were involved in are described in English on the ZSP Warsaw blog: www.zspwawa.blogspot.com

[3] Almost 1000 buildings have already been reprivatized but the process is just beginning. In total to 10,000 buildings may be subject to reprivatization. The data from the city on this process is scandalously chaotic and the subject of a hard battle for access to information. Despite the fact that this may effect a huge amount of people, the city has not prepared any statistics saying how many tenants may be affected and how many units will be taken out of the public housing stock because of this.

[4] See www.zspwawa.blogspot.com in the January 2010 archive.

[5] None of the tenant activists were elected. And the calls for moderation weakened the protest movement. We hope that people will learn something from this episode. But this is also a challenge. One of our ZSP members, ironically, was the only one offered the first place on an electoral list, which he naturally turned down. (He is much more valuable spending his time working at the grassroots level than hitting his head against the wall with bozos at the City Council.) Despite all, some part of our neighbours continue to believe that the solution is the election of a representatives, not the creation of a movement and they lament the decision not to go into politics. And this is one of the challenges we face constantly, is convincing people not to sit on their hands and believe that somebody will come along and settle these matters for them, but instead to get active, building the movement.

[6] Despite the above-mentioned people who wanted to vote, we find more people who say all politicians are scum. One of all goals is to convert this sense of betrayal with all politicians into a belief that people need to decide things themselves directly.

[7] Reprivatizing these houses together with the tenants, instead of giving them replacement housing is a violation of the European Social Charter. Slovenia had to deal with this problem. But, Slovenia was obligated by the charter: Poland is not. Poland ratified the ESC in but did not accept all of its paragraphs. However, it never ratified the Revised European Social Charter from 2005. Poland has neither signed nor ratified the Additional Protocol to the European Social Charter, nor the Additional Protocol providing for a system of collective complaints. One of the Tenants' Defense Committees current campaigns deals with the ratification of this charter, which would give tenants a legal basis to complain against Poland to European institutions. But we have no illusions that capitalism and profit always come before human rights, despite all sorts of noble-sounding proclamations.

ZSP vs. State Repression of Information

2010-11-27T19:18:00.000+01:00

At the last fake social consultation with the city housing authorities, officials promised to publish the list of public housing buildings which may be privatized (where claims have already been submitted to court). This promise came after ZSP delivered information to 1500 homes listed on a leaked document. But, what can you expect from politicians and bureaucrats? Almost two weeks after the promised the list would be up... still no list.

ZSP also made a promise: that it would still find a way to get these lists and would deliver the information to the people concerned. So we announce that we got a couple of more lists and teams of people are delivering notices. We expect 500 notices to be delivered to these houses by the end of the weekend.

Two things are worth mentioning: the last list we got just pointed out that it was "confidential" (although the information should be public). Now the lists are marked that they may not be published or reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the President of Warsaw.

Really? On what grounds? Public information is public information; we see no legal basis to suppress it and, even if there were, the interests of the public are above the law created by the ruling classes. So again, you cannot stop us.

The second thing to be noted is that the city's data bases are out of date. Despite the fact that they employ armies of bureaucrats, they cannot even maintain a correct data base. We already found a number of mistakes. Shame on the city for its incompetence and its cultivation of a parasitic class whose bureaucrats do nothing except screw people at our expense.

We invite tenants whose homes can be privatized to come to an open assembly where tenants activists can advise them about their rights and we can also speak about forms of protest, including strike.

Tenants Confront President of Warsaw

2010-11-17T07:14:00.000+01:00

Tenants were able to attend the presidential debate with Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz. They whistlled, chanted "evict the City Hall" and asked questions she did not answer. Despite the interruptions, nobody intervened. On this way, tenants were finally able to confront the President with her policies in a very public and maybe embarrassing way.