On 30 January this year, the Workplace Commission of NSZZ “Solidarity” operating at BOK-MCC initiated a collective dispute with the employer. Among other demands, the trade unionists called for salaries to be increased by PLN 500 (the average earnings of employees at BOK-MCC amount to PLN 3,100 gross; the director’s, deputy director’s and accountant’s salaries are not included in this average). In an interview with Istotne.pl, Bogusław Wojtas, chairman of the negotiating team, said that the employees were not concerned about money, but mainly about good, peaceful working conditions.

The article BOK-MCC employees tell the truth about the situation at the centre confirmed that although the dispute initially concerned pay rises, bonuses—in short, money—after the elections, around the time of the Star of Kindness, the situation became more tense. Employees not affiliated with Solidarity suggested a personal attack on director Ewa Lijewska-Małachowska and a desire to replace her with someone else, someone better for employees affiliated with NSZZ “Solidarity”.

Mayor Piotr Roman confirms that during one conversation with the trade unionists, the names of their candidates for the positions of director of BOK-MCC and manager of the Orzeł Cultural Integration Centre were mentioned. During the dispute, an open letter to the mayor also appeared on local websites, attacking Ewa Lijewska-Małachowska, the director managing the centre, and supporting her deputy, Iwona Bojko.

“It was a difficult period for me. I am glad that the dispute has ended, and I thank those of my employees who trusted me and supported me through their honest and reliable work,” says Ewa Lijewska-Małachowska today. “During the negotiations, it was proved that there had not been the slightest discrimination by the employer against employees affiliated with NSZZ ‘Solidarity’. In accordance with the trade unionists’ demand, we changed the scope of bonuses awarded—something I would have done without pressure or disputes. In the future, in agreement with both unions, we will implement a very clear written employee evaluation system so that everyone can familiarise themselves with it and respond to the evaluation. As for the demand for a PLN 500 pay rise, we did not give way, and the 3% pay rise included in the city budget for 2015 remained in place, amounting to approximately PLN 100 gross per employee,” adds the BOK-MCC director.

Today’s agreement brings the dispute at the cultural centre to an end.