Wroclaw: Workers from Sky Tower Construction Site Demand Overdue Pay

A group of 20 workers from Sky Tower construction site in Wroclaw took action on Friday to demand their back pay. As it turns out, many people are working illegally at the site. There are also problems that rules concerning work in the heat are not being observed. Working hours are not cut and people receive only one bottle of water per day, in contradiction to health and safety measures which apply.

The workers were hired by Trans Bau, a subcontractor of a subcontractor. Some had already quit because of problems receiving pay. The chairman of Rondo Bau, the firm which hired Trans Bau, showed up and promised that people would be paid this week. The workers were hardly satisfied with this but decided to wait a few days more for their pay.

Artur Wiza, the PR spokesman Leszek Czarnecki's firm LC Corp, did not want to comment. Czarnecki is a billionaire - the third richest person in Poland. It is his firm which is the investor and general constructor of the site.

There are about 400 people working on this site. They are not hired by LC Corp but by serious of subcontractors. Czarnecki and his firm wash their hands of responsibility.

It is easy to see on this site how the series of interrelated companies work. Last year the firm LC Corp Sky Tower was bought by LC Corp BV. In this way, LC Corp Sky Tower "generated revenues" last year. Of course, LC Corp BV is a shareholder of LC Corp SA, which is a holding group which included LC Corp Sky Tower.

In terms of the workers, again it is clear that subcontractors of LC are using subcontractors, and some are using illegal labour. And LC will pretend that it knows nothing of this and that it is the problem of some smaller firm which they are not even aware of, that they don't even know works at that site.

In the meanwhile, the workers are on contracts, without many rights given to them under the labour code and with more difficulties brining claims against their employer.