http://www2.polskieradio.pl/eo/dokument.aspx?iid=107502

Trade union occupies PM Tusk's constituency office

04.05.2009

Members from the left wing Sierpień 80 trade union are occupying  constituency offices of Civic Platform MPs including that of PM Tusk.

 

Groups of dozens of trade unionists say they want to change the constituency offices in six different cities into "civic offices", meaning where politicians "do not drink coffee", but "solve people's problems." One of the offices occupied by protesters belongs to Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

 

Leader of the trade union, Boguslaw Zietek says that the protestors are using the lead up to elections for the European Parliament as a good time to make their demands heard.

 

"There are some issues in Poland which you cannot talk about in other circumstances," said Zietek, who is also a leader and a candidate of the tiny Polish Labour Party for the European Parliament.

 

Protesters have bought a list of 21 demands with them. The first says Poland should be "for citizens, not for elites". Among other things, they want a clear dialogue between the government and society, a rescue plan for the shipping, mining and military industry.

 

The trade unionists say that they are in the protest for the long haul and envisage a lengthy occupation of the MPs offices.

 

They consider current, center-right Civic Platform led government as the worst cabinet since 1989 and  demand it stop "anti-workers" and "anti-social" policies.

 

The Polish Labour Party and Sierpien 80 trade union are known for radical protests, especially in the mining industry.

 

During last parliamentary election, Polish Labour Party received less than one per cent of votes. (jg/pg)

 

Source: PAP