‘Stop the Junk Contracts!’ Young Workers and Trade Union Mobilisation against Precarious Employment in Poland

Abstract

With similarities to other European countries (Byford, 2009; Kretsos, 2011; Vandaele, 2012), trade union membership of young people in Poland remains much lower than in the adult population. It is often explained by the specificity of union organising tactics, the individualistic attitudes of the youth, as well as the precarious labour market situation of young people who work in the sectors which are less covered by unions (Vandaele, 2012; Gumbrell-McCormick, 2011). The challenge of precarious work is particularly relevant in Poland. Between 1998 and 2012, the share of employees on temporary contracts rose from 4.7 per cent to 27 per cent in the whole economy and to 66 per cent amongst employees younger than 24 years of age (Eurostat LFS). It is estimated that the number of those working solely with civil law contracts in Poland rose from 546,000 in 2010 to 1.35 million in 2012 (GUS, 2014); the term ‘civil law contracts’ refers to work agreements which are not covered by the labour law regulations. It implies that an employer does not need to pay the minimum wage and, in the case of specific tasks contracts, contribute to the pension and health insurance system.