Port of Gdansk Authority Meets Demands of Workers

Port of Gdansk Authority The Port of Gdansk Authority (PGA SA) has signed an Additional Protocol to the Collective Labour Agreement, meeting the demands pursued for years by two trade unions. The main demand of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union Solidarity and the Free Trade Union of Workers of Maritime Economy was to regulate wages for employees wishing to retire as well as the minimum monthly wage for full monthly working time for newly hired employees and those who signed a contract of employment for up to three years with PGA SA. The unions argued for distinguishing between the minimum wage for workers employed at PGA SA for a period of less than three years and those who have worked at the port longer. On this basis, a new qualification scale for employees in white-collar positions was developed. As the trade unions, we are satisfied with the changes made to the Collective Labour Agreement under the Additional Protocol. It organises issues of additional remuneration for retiring people, Danuta Waszczuk, President of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union Solidarity, said. Another important element is the so-called minimum wage for newly hired people. Upon employment with PGA S.A. newly hired employees often received remuneration higher than persons working for many years for our company. This was also not always reflected in education and professional experience. This resulted in unnecessary conflicts and created a bad atmosphere among employees, Waszczuk added. Under the current rules, the document signed by PGA SA required an approval from the State Labour Inspectorate, which was received on March 2.