Strikes planned over Polish post office cuts

The state-owned Polish post office, Poczta Polska, plans significant job cuts and major changes in its pay structures this year and unions have already stated they may respond with a strike.

Plans presented to the unions last month indicate that the post office intends to reduce its workforce from 78,000 at the end of last year to 72,000 at the end of this. In some workplaces, more than 10% of employees may lose their jobs.

In addition, management wants to introduce a new system of bonus payments linked more closely to performance, which will account for 12% of total pay.

The unions oppose the plans, and the Solidarnosc union , which has around 14,500 members in the business, has already said that if the talks with management end in failure, they plan to strike on 15 April.