The Trade Union of PKP Traffic Duty Operators decided to introduce a strike emergency on the railway network managed by PKP PLK SA

The resolution of ZZDR PKP states that if no agreement is reached with the company's management, trade unionists intend to “initiate procedures initiating a collective dispute with all its consequences, including a strike“.

Moreover, in the event of failure to reach a consensus, trade unionists intend to “establish a protest committee, announce a protest action in the form of flagging traffic control posts and other facilities throughout the entire railway network managed by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe SA“, and also “apply to the National Council of ZZDR PKP to organize a protest picket.”

Additionally, the trade union published its position in which it was critical of the actions of the PKP PLK management.

“Frequent, ill-considered and chaotic changes introduced at the moment and often out of the need to quiet down the media noise, instead of improving railway traffic safety, reduce its level, which may ultimately lead to another serious tragedy on Polish tracks,” write trade unionists.

“We are aware that technological changes, computerization and automation of train driving processes are irreversible and will continue to progress, followed by the process of optimizing employment to meet the required needs. However, in the implementation of these processes, care must be taken to ensure the safety of our customers, moderation and common sense, which seems to be missing recently,” the employees write.

According to trade unionists “It is unacceptable to assign activities that have previously been performed by several or even a dozen or so employees to one personbecause it leads directly to a situation in which a given employee fails to perform one of these activities or makes a mistake with tragic consequences.” “Managing railway traffic is not a computer game or a simulator. There are no more lives here,” they point out.

Employee representatives emphasize that “it is responsibility for human life, health or multi-million-dollar assets moving on Polish tracks and these are not empty slogans, but reality“.

“Being fully aware of our responsibility, we have not, do not accept and will not accept further changes that, in complete isolation from reality, will make traffic controllers almost fully responsible for everything that happens on the tracks during transport processes,” we read.

“None of the changes so far have improved the situation, on the contrary. From the perspective of experience, in the opinion of the management board of SI ZZDR PKP, the root cause is the inappropriate staff training system both on the part of carriers and the owner and management of the railway infrastructure. Shortening the course education process to a minimum, limiting the number of training and periodic instructions, shortening job experience, all due to serious staff shortages or a huge amount of overtime“- it was reported.

The trade unions declared that they were ready to “conduct a broadly understood social dialogue on issues related to train traffic safety.” “If actions are taken that will, in consequence, continue to impose additional duties and, consequently, additional responsibility on the traffic controllers and the entire traffic engineering team, we are determined to take all legally permissible actions to counteract such irresponsible processes” – they write.