Workers demand more

About 18,000 workers joined a Solidarity protest march on Friday, which has been professionally organized by a PR agency, demanding higher wages and pensions.

The protesters, including miners and health-care workers, gathered to show their discontent at government policies. They carried Solidarity flags and chanted slogans as they passed the prime minister's office showing their discontent with Tusk's broken promises.

"Money is scarce for pensions, the social security system and health system, for education," said Józef Niemiec of the European Trade Union Confederation. "We cannot accept such a situation."

Private sector wages were up nearly 12 percent on the year in July showing a growth. The public sector workers also received a wage increase, but they say it is not enough with the rising cost of living. The average monthly salary is now around zł.1,000.

"It is the role of the labor unions to say what they want and of the government to responsibly judge what it is possible to achieve," Tusk told a news conference rebuffing the union demands.

Source: Reuters, TVN24