Szczecin Shipyard workers vote to strike over new rules

The results of a referendum organized by trade unions at the Szczecin Shipyard indicate that over half of the employees at the shipyard have agreed to participate in a strike. Both the referendum and the strike are the result of the shipyard's poor financial situation as well as new salary regulations introduced by the shipyard's management last month. Under these regulations, workers' wages have been divided into two parts, "basic pay" and "incentive pay". "The referendum was conducted against the rules," shipyard spokesperson Wojciech Sobecki told Rzeczpospolita. "However, we understand the mood among the staff and we are ready to meet at the negotiating table." He added that the strike could only make the situation worse. The shipyard's management claims that the bad financial situation of the shipyard was caused by lack of support from the state for the marine industry combined with high subsidies for shipyards in western European countries. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) A.Z.