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Uni Commerce helps trade
unions organise in Billa Rewe
Uni Commerce has launched a major project to organise the workers of Billa Rewe, a large German-Austrian retailer. Based in Cologne, Germany, Rewe operates in a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe through its Austrian arm Billa. At a meeting on 13 October in the Slovakian capital Bratislava, union representatives from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria and Germany discussed organising strategies and co-operation with Jan Furstenborg and Alex Rüdig of Uni Commerce. They also exchanged experiences of how the company handles labour relations. Much concern was expressed about the double standards, which Billa Rewe employs in different European countries. In Central and Eastern Europe, excessively long working hours are common, with overtime compensations not being paid. Shop opening legislation is openly defied and the company trades seven days a week. In Croatia, workers were forced to buy all remaining fresh produce last Christmas, with deductions made in their wages. This is now being contested in court by the country's commerce trade union. In all countries concerned, the unions have been able to establish footholds in the company. In Croatia, the commerce trade union have organised fifty per cent of the 400 Rewe Billa workers in face of open opposition from management.
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