Description
The Ferdinand Lassalle Centre for Social Thought will audit the practice of commissioning technical services (cleaning and security) by public institutions as to the protection of rights of employees performing the services. They will develop a standard for organising the services to minimise threats for employees. They will implement the standard in public institutions that will decide to take the role of leaders in the field of “employee-friendly" service contracting.
Summary of project results
"Two years ago, public opinion in Poland got the news that workers performing cleaning services in two public institutions in Poznań were not paid for their work. Members of Lassalle OMS decided to verify whether it was a local incident or something more - a symptom of a problem of general nature that is simply not highlighted. The activities implemented under the project were supposed to bring about a long-term improvement of the conditions of employment for persons performing cleaning and security services in public institutions. Under the project, the biggest so far survey on outsourcing the cleaning and security services by public institutions was conducted. It covered 64 institutions throughout Poland. The facts presented in the report from the survey show the scale and social effects of service outsourcing used by public institutions. Observations and conclusions from the survey became the subject of a public debate for changing the existing situation. The report inspired many press articles and formed a source of knowledge and motivation for the activities undertaken by trade unions and employer organisations on the negative effects of low prices in public procurement system for the conditions of employment of workers. The authors of the report were invited to participate in the meetings of the Social Dialogue Council where amendments in the legislation on public procurements were discussed. The report became a guidance for participants of social dialogue within the legislative processes concerning the area of public procurements. The handbook of good practices formed a source of knowledge for persons dealing with public procurements and contracting services in public institutions as to how to apply employment clauses. The main recipient of the publications were: lawmakers, employer organisations, trade unions. In the longer term, the implemented project will benefit persons employed as security guards and performing cleaning services. Broad media coverage that accompanied the publication of the report showed to the general public the problems of this group of employees, creating a climate for legal amendments to improve their conditions of employment. Direction of the needed changes were indicated in our materials published during implementation of the project."
Summary of bilateral results