The trade union warns that on December 22, Biedronka stores are supposed to operate until 1:00 a.m., while on December 23 they are to open as early as 5:00 a.m. This has prompted opposition. The letter states, among other things, that such actions deprive employees of a real opportunity to rest between successive working days.

Here is the full text of “Solidarity”’s request to the Chief Labour Inspector:

Acting on behalf of the Inter-Company Organization of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union “Solidarity” at JMP S.A., with its registered office at: 44-200 Rybnik, ul. Plac Wolności 10/4, I hereby submit a notification concerning serious, repeated and persistent violations relating to the organization of working time in Biedronka chain stores operated by Jeronimo Martins Polska S.A. The scale and nature of the reported irregularities indicate that these are not isolated incidents, but rather an element of the company’s operating standards which, in practice, violate the basic principles of protecting employees’ health and safety.

Recently, employees at numerous stores have been receiving information about changes to store opening hours and work schedules suddenly, without any prior notice and without observing any advance-notice period. These changes are often announced from one day to the next, or even on the day on which they are to take effect. Employees report being required to work extremely extended hours, including both night-time and early-morning hours.

Attached to this letter is a copy of a message received by employees confirming that the stores are to operate until 1:00 a.m., while work is to begin at 5:00 a.m. the following day. Such actions deprive employees of a real opportunity to rest between successive working days. Employees also report that after such changes are presented, they feel strong pressure to accept them because they fear consequences from supervisors, including reduced working hours or a negative evaluation at work.

Schedule changes are arbitrary and occur without providing any stability in the work timetable. Employees cannot plan their rest, private lives, childcare, commutes to work or family responsibilities. People working in these stores report that their actual working time differs significantly from what is shown in the schedules, and that actual working hours are not reflected in the documentation made available to employees.

Many employees also report being called in to work outside their established schedules, including night work after having worked earlier during the day, resulting in accumulating fatigue, health problems and situations posing a serious risk to safety in the workplace. Employees emphasize that there is a widespread belief among supervisors that such practices are the norm across the chain and are accepted by JMP S.A.’s organizational structure.

The information provided clearly indicates that these irregularities are constant, recurrent and systemic. These actions significantly violate the obligation to ensure safe working conditions and the principles governing the organization of working time, which are intended to protect employees’ mental and physical health.

In view of the above, I respectfully but firmly request that an order be issued for inspections by the competent Regional Labour Inspectorates concerning the organization of working time in Biedronka stores throughout the country, since the problem does not concern only individual stores but is characteristic of the entire chain.

In particular, I request that the following areas be covered by the inspection: the manner in which work schedules are prepared and changed; practices involving announcing changes to working hours from one day to the next; employees’ actual working time compared with their schedules; the manner in which daily and weekly rest is granted; pressure exerted on employees regarding acceptance of schedule changes; practices of assigning work outside the schedule; and the reliability of working-time records.

I point out that these violations affect employees’ health, their psychophysical condition, family relationships and workplace safety. In the reporting party’s assessment, the above circumstances require an immediate response from the Labour Inspectorate and supervisory action against JMP S.A. at the national level.

Please inform me in writing of the actions taken in this matter.