Labour disputes

Collective disputes may refer to work conditions, remunerations or social benefits, as well as the trade union rights and freedoms.

A collective dispute may not refer to individual worker's claims which may be asserted before courts. If a collective dispute refers to the content of the collective agreement or any other agreement to which a trade union organisation is a party, then the dispute may be initiated and conducted only upon termination of such agreements.

Collective disputes are conducted between trade unions and an employer or employers. They are resolved through a process which consists of the following stages: negotiations between the parties, mediation, arbitration, and strike. The first two are obligatory, while arbitration is optional.

Any person who is elected by all parties to the dispute or any person included in the list of mediators kept by the Minister competent for labour matters may become a mediator in a collective dispute.

The ultimate measure is to go on strike, and the decision to announce it should take into account whether the claims are commensurate with the strike-related losses. The announcement of a strike should be preceded by a referendum among workers of the work establishment concerned. Workers do not have the right to remuneration for the duration of the strike. Polish law does not provide for lockouts.

For more information visit:

Ministry of Family and Social Policy

Department of Social Dialogue and Partnership

All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (Ogólnopolskie Porozumienie Związków Zawodowych)

Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union Solidarność (Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy “Solidarność”)

Trade Unions Forum (Forum Związków Zawodowych)

Business Centre Club – Employers' Association

Employers of Poland (Pracodawcy RP)

Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs (Federacja Przedsiębiorców Polskich)

Lewiatan Confederation (Konfederacja Lewiatan)

Polish Craft Association (Związek Rzemiosła Polskiego)

Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (Związek Przedsiębiorców i Pracodawców)