PKP Cargo is amending the rules of the emergency ‘failure to perform work’ measure. Trade unions managed to secure a number of concessions from the company to employees, among which is a minimum wage payout at the very least. The PKP Cargo president is calling upon the remaining unions to enter into dialogue, to improve the company’s financial situation and “Make Cargo Great Again”.
As part of the ‘failure to perform work’ measure, aimed at curbing labour-related expenditures, PKP Cargo seeks to temporarily dismiss employees and reduce their pay by 40 per cent during the time of their absence. However, wages for some could sink below the legally established minimum wage. Trade unions have now successfully put pressure on PKP Cargo to guarantee minimum wage payouts for those who get the ‘inactive’ status and are temporarily dismissed.
Make Cargo Great Again?
Some trade unions are not willing to enter into dialogue with PKP Cargo on the matter, however. The acting president of the company’s management board, Marcin Wojewódka, commented: “I would like to express hope that also those trade union organisations in PKP Cargo that have not yet undertaken real social dialogue with the employer – acting in the best interests of our employees, that they will review their positions that are detached from reality and join the repair of PKP Cargo, which we have now initiated”, Wojewódka said.
“Our goal is to #MakeCargoGreatAgain, and in real cooperation with social partners, we will be able to face the very difficult challenges that await us together in a much better way. The introduction of most of the employee demands confirms our open position”, he added.
Rotations and holidays
Besides a minimum wage guarantee, almost all trade unions representing PKP Cargo employees demanded the introduction of a rotational non-work system, including some members of Polish parliament. When scheduled for non-work, employees will be dismissed for a minimum period of three months. Lastly, employees will be able to take up holidays before the start of their non-work period and they can request non-work periods on their own initiative.
These changes apply to all employees that have been ordered to not work from June 2024. The total number of employees subject to these rules amounts to 4150 people, which is 30 per cent of the company’s total staff.
Financial performance
PKP Cargo says that it was forced to take the ‘failure to perform work’ measure as a result of negative business trends. PKP Cargo is experiencing a rough patch, similar to many state-owned rail freight operators around Europe. The Polish company appears to have a budget hole of 1,17 billion euros, and its volumes and share value are following a steep downward trajectory. The non-work measure is supposed to reduce the company’s budgetary gap.
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