Regarding OTTO Campaign

Solidarity Campaign! Please send emails using the form on the page www.otto.zsp.net.pl

Situation of Injured Worker on Sick Leave

Maciej was injured on the job while working in Belgium through OTTO Workforce. He was supposed to be covered by Dutch insurance, since he was working through a Dutch company and living in Holland and this insurance should then be transferred and valid in Poland. But the company had informed the Dutch insurer that Maciej was no longer an employee the day after he went on sick leave and, when he returned to Poland, he found he was not insured, had medical bills and was not getting paid for sick leave.

Thanks to our intervention, Maciej received some payment and is getting his medical bills covered. But the situation is not too good now.

Protest in Banská Bystrica: Another red card for OTTO Workforce agency

On Wednesday, 20th April, Priama akcia organized a protest against the practices of OTTO Workforce. The office in Banská Bystrica was visited by almost a dozen activists. We wanted to express solidarity with the workers who have been cheated by the agency. With this action, Priama akcia also joined the IWA Days of Struggle against Borders and in Solidarity with Immigrant Workers.

We informed the journalists from TA3 and Radio Regina (you can read the article Watch Out for Temporary Work Agencies in Slovak here) present at the protest about the reasons of our action, and then we proceeded to the agency office where we hung a banner.

The office manager reacted to our action in a very bizarre way. She refused to accept the red card with the campaign demands in Slovak and English language so we left it on the table and stressed that we would inform the owner of the agency, Frank van Gool, about the protest. She also forbade the camerawoman from TA3 to film during the action, told the reporter that he could only get a statement from the Dutch management of the company, and lied that this is only possible in Dutch language. When one of us took a picture of the activists in the room (not her or the employees), she told him to delete the photo, which he refused. Then she pulled out her cellphone and pretended to call the police. The funniest part of her telephone conversation was when she said: “Police? Agency OTTO, Horná 21, I would like to report an unauthorized meeting, we are under attack from direct action.” (Just to clarify things to Ms. Manager: first, there is no such thing as “unauthorized meeting” in any law; second, if standing in the office and handing over a protest letter seems like “attacking” to you, you must have a very strong imagination.) By then we were leaving anyway. The red card was left in the office and we emphasized that this was not the last time we saw each other.

Gegen den Mißbrauch von ArbeiterInnen bei OTTO-Workforce!

Wie OTTO-Workforce mit verletzten ArbeiterInnen umgeht.

Neue Aktionen gegen OTTO-Workforce sind geplant. Zusätzlich zu den bisherigen Forderungen gegen die Ausbeutung von ZeitarbeiterInnen, stellt sich die Frage nach der Behandlung verletzter ArbeiterInnen. M., der in den Niederlanden Waren ausgeladen hatte, verletzte sich währenddessen sehr schwer, so dass er krank geschrieben war. OTTO-Workforce verweigerte Lohnfortzahlung im Krankheitsfall und ließ ihm mitteilen, dass sie für ihn keine weitere Beschäftigung hat.

How OTTO Treats Injured Workers

New actions are planned at OTTO Workforce. In addition to previous demands against abuse of temporary workers, we raise the question of the treatment of injured workers. M., who was working in Holland loading goods, sustained a serious injury related to this work. He has been on sick leave. The company has not paid him any money during this time and has said that it will not have any other work for him.

The worker is not able to get any answers from the company, which also refuses to send him anything in writing or even give him the emails of people responsible for claims.

OTTO has claimed to journalists investigating their treatment of workers that claims that they do not always pay for sick leave are unfounded. Yet at the same time, this man, injured on the job, gets absolutely no financial support, is told there is no different work for him and is brushed off when trying to ask about his payment from the company! This is totally unacceptable! No tolerance for labour abuse! OTTO workforce – pay this sick leave and appropriate compensation! New jobs for workers who cannot perform their old ones due to industrial accidents! Better safety and work conditions on the job now!

Cómo OTTO trata a los trabajadores que sufren acidentes laborales

Nuevas acciones están previstas contra las practicas antiobreras de OTTO Workforce. Además de las demandas anteriores contra el abuso de los trabajadores temporales, se plantea la cuestión del trato hacia los trabajadores lesionados. M., que estaba trabajando con cargas en Holanda, sufrió una lesión grave relacionada con este trabajo. Él ha estado de baja. La empresa no le ha pagado ningún dinero durante ese tiempo y ha dicho que no tendrá ningún otro trabajo para él.
El compañero no puede obtener ninguna respuesta de la empresa, que se niega también a enviar nada por escrito o incluso darle los correos electrónicos de las personas responsables de las reclamaciones.

OTTO ha afirmado a los periodistas que investigan el trato hacia los trabajadores que las afirmaciones de que la empresa no siempre paga las bajas carecen de fundamento. Sin embargo, al mismo tiempo, este hombre, herido en el trabajo, no recibe ninguna ayuda financiera, le dicen que no hay un trabajo diferente para él y le dan largas cuando trata de preguntar acerca del pago de su baja! Esto es totalmente inaceptable! No toleramos para el abuso laboral! OTTO Workforce - paga la baja y una compensación adecuada! Nuevos puestos de trabajo para los trabajadores que no pueden realizar los viejos debido a accidentes laborales! Mejores medidas de seguridad y condiciones de trabajo ya!

First victory against OTTO Workforce

After our protest at the main office of OTTO Workforce in Venray on Monday March 21st the initial results are in. During this action 20 people got arrested, which caused a local disturbance and received a lot of media attention. Because of this protest, OTTO director Frank van Gool, was forced to give in to some of the demands of the company’s ex-workers.

Problems with the Otto Temp Agency

Over the last few years, there have been tons of complaints about the practices of the Otto Workforce temp agency, in particular from Poles being sent to work abroad in Holland. It has found itself on at least one internet blacklist as an agency which cheats workers. Some people who work there or worked there in the past, have contacted AGA and ZSP about various problems, asking what they can do. At the very least, they ask us to warn people and inform them of their rightsand what can be done if they are cheated.

From various letters, complaints on our internet forum and personal conversations, we present a preliminary list of the most typical problems. We are speaking to more people and are hoping to be able to present more facts soon. An information campaign aimed at potential and current workers should also start soon.