Warsaw - Workers from PKP Regional Lines Storm HQ During Union Negotiations; Rail Workers Strike and Block Rails in Białystok

Workers from Polish State Railways Regional Lines protested yesterday in front of its headquarters in Warsaw. The protest took place during a meeting between the board of the company and representatives from 18 of the largest unions in the firm.

During the protest, a few dozen angry workers got in the building and demanded to see the director. He came out and explained that the company was in a difficult financial situationn and is therefore carrying our restructuring. 700 people are to be dismissed.

This is just another blow to PKP workers, who have been facing mass redunancies throughout the PKP group while the company gathers capital.

Radical workers inside PKP are fed up and are trying to consider if they can organize some actions.

In Białystok, PKP workers went on strike and blocked the main railway lines into Warsaw for 4 hours. The workers complain that they earn very little - just about minimum wage. They are demanding a pay rise.

The workers also pointed out that there is a very big discrepancy between the salaries they receive and what managers behing the desk are making.

In the Podlasie region (the main city of which is Białystok), 70 of 400 employees are to be dismissed in the course of restructuring.