ZUS spends millions on under utilized national video conferencing network

A video conference network installed in 23 centers of the Social Insurance Company (ZUS) across the country remain unused. The equipment alone cost over zl. 8.9 million. In August last year ZUS bought and installed a video conference network giving all ZUS employees the opportunity to communicate across the country. At a special video conference the former head of ZUS, Stanislaw Alot, emphasized the necessity of purchasing such equipment. He said by installing the network ZUS would save a lot of money through reducing expensive training seminars usually held in Warsaw. However, ZUS employees still attend training seminars in Warsaw. According to ZUS employees from Olsztyn who wished to remain anonymous, none of them have ever used the network. According to ZUS media relations officer Michal Mikucki, only five nationwide video conferences organized by ZUS have occurred since August 1999. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 6)