|
Nr.
Ownership
City
|
Sector |
Products |
Number
of employ-ees |
Percentage
of women |
Label,
retailer,
or wholesaler
|
Role
of buyers |
Wage |
Labour
conditions |
Sub-contracting |
| 1)
Joint venture
Lodz
|
Trade agent
|
Building
material & garments (mainly knitweaer) |
15 |
~ |
van
Kleef (NL)
WW Textiles (UK)
|
Buyers
demand use of certain chemicals, no child labour.
Company had to sign statement
Buyers always want to see the factory
|
~ |
~ |
Mainly
to one big state owned factory; 1500 workers |
| 2)
Private
Lodz
|
Garment
manafacturer |
Childrens
clothing |
30 |
80% |
Polish
wholesalers.
Label 'Anedi'
10% direct export:
Russia, Slovenia
Czech Republic
Lithuania
|
~ |
|
Wage based on piecerate
10 to 11 hour workdays in busy periods.
Conditions in the factory, like light, chairs, safety
and toilets are alright
|
Yes,
more than half of the production |
| 3)
Small, private firm
Bytom
|
Production and trade in working clothes
|
Medical
uniforms
overalls
|
40 |
all
except manager |
Jacob
Suchard
Nosto Stahl
van den Berg (Unilever)
Castorama
Kilkuset
|
Clients
do QC, Demand ISO standards |
600Zt
gross |
Workweek
42 hrs (incl. 1 Saturday per month)
High workpressure
Not enough light
|
Yes |
| 4)
Small private firm, direct investment from f 'My Life'
(Germany)
Bytom
|
Garments,
OPT |
Ladies
wear; overcoatssuits |
50
perma-nent
70 tempora-ry
|
~ |
Via
My Life (Germany) to:
Modahouse
Comedia
Zan Zara
Resi Hammerer
Charisma
Direct:
Silvia (PL)
|
Buyers
come to the factory, no questions about environment or working
conditions |
10%
of workers earn legal min. 450Zt,
others 500-700ZT
|
Conflict
about bonus es and insecurity of work on the day of the
factory visit.
No union allowed
TV monitor in office overlooking workplace.
Regular overtime, up to 17 hrs in a row
No holiday money
|
Yes |
| 5)
Private
Gliwice
|
Trade
and manufacturing of garments |
Sportswear;
jackets, ski suits, jogging
wear
advertisement clothing
|
50 |
|
Sportswear:
Alpina (PL)
Patko (NL)
Austrian & Czech wholesalers
Advertisement among others:
castrol Polska
Shell Poska
Esso Polska
Mc Donalds Polska
Different breweries
Pepsi Polska
|
Buyers
do not come, nor do they make any demands on environmental
or social standards |
Minimum
of 500 Zt |
~ |
Yes |
| 6)
Small family firm
Lodz
|
Garment
manufacturing (OPT) and trade |
Sports-wear
|
40 |
88% |
Luxor
(own label)
Olimpic (IT)
Adidas Polski
'New Collection'
'Replay'
|
Adidas
representatives come but no demands on working conditions |
According
to manager
800-900 Zt
helper:
400-500Zt
Stitcher: 500ZT
|
37
people were replaced by younger women, among them many students.
In busy times people work double shifts
Enough light, bit crowded and dusty
|
Yes |
| 7)
Private
Lodz
|
Garments |
Sports-wear |
20 |
90% |
Geant
(FR)
Ptak bazaar
Reali (PL), dept.stores
Polish wholesalers
'Winchester'
'Humo'
'Big Star'
|
Geant
demand AZO frree dyes, no other requirements |
Average
800Zt
sometimes, with overtime and bonusses 1500ZT
Worker: 1000Zt average
|
regular
2 hours overtime and almost every Saturday.
Crowded not enough fresh air.
No work in July and August
No emergency exit
|
Yes |
| 8)
Private
Lodz
|
Garment
manufacturer |
Ladies
wear, bedlinnen |
50 |
92% |
France
10% (direct) a.o. Auchan
Germany 20% (through local agent)
a.o. Herding
Denmark 40% (direct) a.o. Martello;
'Missing Link'
the Netherlands 30% (through local agent) a.o. Heinko
Previously:
Carrefour, relocated to Russia
|
Clients
do not make demands on social conditions |
According
to the Manager:
1000 Zt gross
|
42
hour workweek Usually 2 hrs overtime per day
Non-adjustable chairs, some stools, low ironing tabel
|
Yes |
| 9)
Private
Gornicza
|
Garment
manufacturer |
Thermal
underwear, 75% Polish market |
40 |
~ |
Wielicki
(PL)
export to France through agent: Rhovyl Diffusion', Germany
through agent: 'Walking Bird', Czech republic, Slovakia
|
No
client ever made demands about working conditions |
Manager:
500-600 Zt on top of disability pension
Worker: 350 Zt net on top of 290 Zt disability benefit
|
All
workers are disabled people
Not enough lights, small crowded workplace (plans to
move the factory)
|
Yes |
| 10)
Former state owned, now 50% privatised
Lodz
|
Garments,
90% OPT |
Women's
garments |
600 |
~ |
Laura
Ashley (GE)
Gerry Weber (GE)
Kello (DE)
Dronella (DE)
'Merry Time' (DE)
'Mark Aureli (GE)
'Slima' (UK)
'Alba Moda' (PL)
|
No
demands for social standards |
660
Zt
(regional average 1090 Zt)
|
2
factory based unions, one affiliated with Solidarnosc, one
with the OPZZ
In 1997 threat of 200 lay-offs, due to union protests
it didn't happen
Problems: wages and job security
Good pregnancy regulations and medical facilities at
the plant
Bad chairs, good lights
|
No |
| 11)
Former state owned, 50% privatised
Bytom
|
Garments,
OPT |
Men's
suits,
jackets for Ladies suits
70% export to france, Germany, Belgium, Uk, USA
Some garments have a 'made in Italy' label
|
318 (before 2800!)
104 Solidarnosc members
|
|
Diegel,
Mittenberger (fon)
Preic (fon.),
Lagerfeld,
Daniel Hechter,
Gutermann,
K Creation & Production,
Hedex,
Paul Smith,
Roger,
Kleider Bauer,
Business Center Club,
Xandres (BE)
|
|
Basic 600 Zt gross=
450-490Zt net
5 year work history: 900-1000 Zt gross= 600-700 net
10 year work history extra bonus
|
2
factory based unions (Solidarnosc and OPZZ)
Main problem is that wage is not a living wage
(according to workers a living wage, for a family of
4 is 2000 Zt)
'Forced' holiday in spring
Hot, not enough light
There is a canteen and small shop
|
No |
| 12)
Former state owned factory, now big holding with 5 factories
Lodz
|
Import
and export of textiles,import of cheap Chinese underwear
for Polish market, knitting and garment manufacturing (20%
OPT) |
Sports-wear,
knitwear, ladies outwear and childrens clothing |
400
this plant
1500 total
incl. subcontractors 40.000 (!)
|
95% |
Escada
(FR)
3 Suisses (FR)
La Redoute (FR)
Printemps (FR)
Debenhams (UK)
Blair Group (UK)
Heralds (UK)
Wallis (UK)
Adidas
Nike Europe
Otto Versand (GE);
'Future'
'Wonderfull World'
Karstadt (GE)
Wall-Mart (USA)
Victoria Seasons (USA)
Steilman (GE);
'KS'
'Panache'
La Blanche Sports
M&S Mode (NL)
Heinko (NL); 'Blacky Dress'
'Damina'
'Damina Classic'
'Finco' (sportswear)
C&A (NL);
'Jessica'
Hema (NL)
Miss Etam (UK)
'Just for You' (DE)
H&M (SE)
Kappahl (SE)
Steilmann (SE);
'Via Gigi'
'La Pique'
'Think Mode'
'Wonder Woman'
|
Steilmann
and Otto have ecological lines,
Steilmann lends machinery to the factory
La Blanche Sports visits regularly
No demands on social and ecological standards
|
Sometimes
as little as 200 Zt
Worker: 400 Zt averagely
|
Company
employs handicapped people in order to get tax exemptions
Good relation between union and manager (says manager)
Extra health care facilities in this plant because of
the handicapped employees.
Workers complain about eye damage
|
Yes,
41 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13)
Former state owned, partly privatised
Sosnowiec
|
Knitting,
weaving and garment manufacturing, OPT |
Sweaters, trousers and skirts
80% export
|
340
(Previously 1200)
|
~ |
Germany
France
UK
Belgium
the Netherlands
'Young Oder Unlimited'
Before:
Levencher (FR), relocated to Tunisia
Handels, daughter of Dr. Jacobs (GE)
didn't pay
|
~ |
700
Zt gross, 500 Zt net |
3
unions, affiliated with Solidarnos and OPZZ and one independent
'Kadra'
Advisory board with 30% worker representation
Insecurity of work
often wages are not paid in time or only partly
42 hour workweek (1 saturday per month)
Voluntary overtime, pressure though
|
~ |
| 14)
Former state owned, first Polish company to enter stock
exchange, main shareholder is a bank, now owns 5 factories
Lodz
|
Garments |
Man's
shirts (80%), women's clothing at one plant (14%)
65-% export (80% to Germany) OPT
|
previously
4000
now in the total of the 5 plants they have 3.337 workers
|
|
Seidensticker (UK)
Hatico
Royal Kings (UK)
'Elegance'
'Wolczanska'
Before:
Alhers (GE), they now established their own plant in
Poland
|
No
demands from clients about environmental or social standards |
700
Zt average |
Modern
factory: good chairs, lights, fire equipment, etc. |
Sometimes |
| 15)
State owned company
Lodz
|
Knitting
and manufacturing |
Socks
and stockings
3% export (under communism they had 60% export mainly
to USSR)
|
350,
previous-ly 1200
|
50% |
Polish
wholesalers
Scandinavian countries
Belgium
Luxemburg
the Netherlands
Germany
UK
france
very little to former SU
|
German
clients do make environmental demands |
Average
wages compared to other companies according to the manager.
Piece rate based, big differences among workers
|
Stable
work contract, insurance, holiday payment and other bonusses.
Factory based union afiliated to Solidarnosc.
|
|
|
16)
Cooperative of disabled people
Chorzow
|
Garment
manufacturing,
50% export (indirectly)
|
Working
clothes, women's wear |
180,
70% disabled (previously 750) |
100% |
Tritex
(PL) intermediary
Magda (PL)
intermediary
Max (PL) intermediary; 'Promod' ( a lot for France)
Hellert (fon.) (FR)
Povel (fon.) (FR)
Petrie (fon.) (FR)
|
~
|
Total 450 Zt net, of which 380 Zt is pension
|
Since
1990, in general the atmosphere got more tense and the workpressure
higher.
There is a board made up of workers.
|
~ |
| 17)
Coats Viyella, subsidiary
Lodz
|
Manufacturer
of haberdashery and thread, distributor of fabric, tape
and buttons |
Thread,
zippers |
205 |
|
700 buyers, many small customers and distributors in
Poland but also big garment manufacturers like
Bytom, Wolczanska, Prochnik, Vistula
|
The
manager has a high level of autonomy, but there exists European
level policy as well |
1200
Zt average |
According
to Polish labour law.
No union.
Health and safety committee in the plant.
|
Not
in Poland |
| 18)
Levi Strauss, subsidiary
Plock
|
Jeans
manufacturer |
Levi's
jeans |
650
(700 actually on the payroll) |
~ |
|
Levi's headoffice in brussels dictates wage levels, health
and safety standards, etc.
|
1000
Zt net |
High
workpressure (little flags posted at every table showing
worker performance etc.)
40 hr workweek, not muchovertime
No union, but a work coucil.
Accoding to a worker people are fired if they cannot
reach the (high) target.
Big modern factory; good lights, modern fire equipment.
|
Not
in Poland |
| 19)
VF Polska, Subsidiary
Lodz
|
Jeans
Manufacturer
50% Polish market,
25% other CEE countries,
25% Western Europe
|
Lee,
Wrangler, Maverick jeans |
600
(650 actually on the payroll) |
90% |
Lee,
Wrangler,
Maverick:
'American Jeanswear',
ladies underwear (USA, FR, SP)
Jansport backpacks
|
The
head office in Brussels is responsible for human resource
guidelines. Sometimes representatives from the US headoffice
do audits on health and safety
regular visits by the polish labour inspection
|
6
Zt per hour average, incl. holiday pay, and quality bonusses
Manager:
1100 Zt per month
Worker:
800-900 Zt
|
No
worker organisation
modern, well equiped factory
|
Not
in Poland |
