Trade Unions
The All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions OPPZ: www.opzz.org.pl
The All Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ) is a left-wing nationwide inter-union organisation of a confederation structure, established by nationwide trade unions and trade union associations on November 24th, 1984. OPZZ associates 86 nation-wide trade union organisations (uniform trade unions and federations) grouped in 9 branches: Mine, Chemical &Energy; Metalworkers; Education & Science; Public Services; Food, Agriculture &Tourism; Building, Road & Woodworkers; Textiles, Clothing & Leather; Transport; Commerce, Services, Culture & Art. The listed branch structures have been defined in 2006 to improve a system of co-operation between trade union units and to promote European relations.
OPZZ also has its internal territorial structures, with territorial range corresponding to the administrative division of the country. These are voivodship (regional) councils (16) and powiat (district) councils (240). The territorial structures represent OPZZ vis-a-vis enterprise and supra-enterprise trade union organisations in a given area and vis-a-vis competent public bodies (governmental and self-governmental), employers, political organisations, NGOs and occupational organisations. OPZZ structures represent 750 thousand employees. Since 2006 OPZZ is a nationwide organisation affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
NSZZ Solidarnosc Region Pomorza Zachodnie: www.solidarnosc.szczecin.pl
The Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union/NSZZ ‘Solidarnosc’ was founded as a result of worker protests and established on the basis of the Gdańsk Accords signed on 31st August 1980 by the Inter-enterprise Strike Committee and the Government Commission.
NSZZ Solidarność represents 650.000 workers. There are union members in every industry and services. Membership includes managers, administrators and professional staff as well as scientists and technicians; skilled workers and labourers; full-time workers and those who work part time; pensioners/retirees, school students in factory-run vocational schools doing sub-contracting work for factories or receiving vocational training in such schools; persons contracting for work at home, unemployed, disabled and persons who are performing alternative military service. A check off system is in operation.
NSZZ “Solidarność” has a territorial-branch structure. Thousand enterprise Union organisations (locals) are associated into 34 regions. Enterprise Union organisations are associated at the same time in the national branch sections which form 15 national branch secretariats.
The National Congress of Delegates is the union’s supreme authority which elects the National Commission (99 members), consisting among others of the chairs of 34 regions and 15 national branch secretariats and the President of the National Commission (in separate balloting). The National Congress of Delegates also elects the National Audit Commission.
The current operations of the Union are controlled by 7 members of the Presidium of the National Commission. The National Commission implements the Programme Resolution and other resolutions adopted by the National Congress of Delegates.