Slovakia: Appeal for international solidarity

Dear collegues,

An appeal to trade unions, trade union officials, trade union branches and activists for solidarity and support to expose the unlawfull behaviour of the management at the Neusiedler/Mondi bussiness SCP a.s. an Austrian based multinational in the paper industry. Model letter of protest below. socialistworld.net

Appeal for international solidarity

Ruzomberok, 3 February 2005

Factory committee ZOO Papier

at Neusiedler/Mondi bussiness SCP a.s.

Ruzomberok

Slovakia

We represent the members of the ZOO Papier trade union in Ruzomberok, Slovakia. We have built this trade union after management at the Neusiedler factory sacked us for our initiative to launch a petition amongst the workforce demanding a wage increase of 50 SK per hour (Euro 1,25 or £0,8).

We have registered our Trade Union and it has been recognised by the Slovak Ministry of Labour and Social affairs. The management of the Mondi reacted by sacking all those whom it suspected of being involved with ZOO Papier. In total 19 workers have been made redundant in the last 4 months.

According to Slovakian labour law management has to accept new trade unions as a legitimate representative of the workforce once it has been legally registered. The labour law also stipulates that when there are more than one trade union present at a workplace both of them have to agree on a common platform of demands before collective negotiations can start.

The management of Mondi is breaking Slovakian law and possibly international labour law. A further sign of the unrelentless arrogance of the Austrian management at Mondi is that they have taken the founding members of ZOO Papier to court to "protect the good name of their company". They are demanding that the dismissed workers pay SK20 million (£363,000) in damages and publish an apology in three national newspapers.

Thank you for your help,

Jozef Krncan, chairman of ZOO Papier

Jozef Danis, vice-chairman of ZOO Papier

Model letter to Mondi Bussiness paper

 

To:

Mr Otto Pichler, CEO, Mondi Bussiness paper

otto.pichler@neusiedler.com

tel:+421 44 436 3506

fax: +421 44 4327701

 

Mr. Veit Sorger, chairman of the supervisory board and president of the Austrian employers federation IV

iv.office@iv-net.at

tel: ++43 1 711350

fax: ++43 1 711 352910

 

We support the following demands of the workers of ZOO Papier. We will campaign to raise the international awareness about the malpractices of Neusiedler/Mondi Bussiness paper SCP a.s. in Slovakia.

Demands

  • the official recognition of ZOO Papier as a legitimate representative of workers in Mondi SCP in Ruzomberok
  • the immediate reinstatement of all dismissed workers including the 5 members of the factory committee
  • the immediate start of negotiations about our demands on wages and working conditions.

Signed

 

Please send a copies to sativa@zoznam.sk or cwi@worldsoc.co.uk or fax 00442089888793

You can support ZOO Papier financially by making a contribution to Istrobanka Slovakia, to Zakladna Odborova Organizacia (ZOO) Papier – Account nr 10006-13219052/4900

Special financial appeal to all readers of socialistworld.net

Support building alternative socialist media

Socialistworld.net provides a unique analysis and perspective of world events. Socialistworld.net also plays a crucial role in building the struggle for socialism across all continents. Capitalism has failed! Assist us to build the fight-back and prepare for the stormy period of class struggles ahead.
Please make a donation to help us reach more readers and to widen our socialist campaigning work across the world.

Donate via Paypal

Liked this article? We need your support to improve our work. Please become a Patron! and support our work
Become a patron at Patreon!

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*


February 2005
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28