GMB National banner will be carried by GMB Polish members who have been sacked for fighting exploitation in top London hotels

GMB Polish members from branches throughout the UK will proudly carry the GMB National Banner into Trafalgar Square for the Rally at 4pm on Saturday 8^th November. These GMB members will take part in the march and rally to celebrate the 90^th anniversary of Poland’s independence organised this Saturday 8^th November 2008 in London by the Federation of Poles in UK. GMB is sponsoring the event.

There will delegations of Polish GMB members on the march from the south coast of England, from the East and West Midlands, South West, Yorkshire, Scotland, Wales, East Anglia and London. These GMB members with the national banner will join in the march, led by the Polish Navy Orchestra, starting at 3.15pm from Westminster Cathedral to Trafalgar Square and will be a part of the Polish rally at Trafalgar Square at 4.00pm. Some of those on the March will be sacked Polish workers from the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London who were dismissed for opposing exploitation of Polish workers in the UK. See Note 1.

At the Rally there will be speeches from the last President of the Polish Government in exile, the Polish Ambassador, Greg Hands MP and Denis McShane MP, former Minister for Europe. The Rally will be complemented by singing led by a Polish Choir accompanied by the Polish Navy Orchestra.

The Federation of Poles in GB has issued a call for the day as follows: “Every year on November 11th Poles worldwide celebrate Poland’s Independence. However 2008 is special. This year is the 90th anniversary of Poland's Independence. So come to Central London on Saturday 8th November. Let’s enjoy this memorable occasion together. It is an important date for Poland and the UK. Let us celebrate Poland's independence in London together.”

Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary said “GMB Polish members from across the UK will attend this event. GMB is a proud sponsor of the event. GMB want to make clear that  Polish workers are welcome and that they need to get organised to protect themselves from exploitation and racism and that GMB stands by them.

GMB has developed a very good working relationship with the Polish Embassy and Consulate in London. The Consul General addressed GMB Congress 2008 in

Plymouth on how we work together to combat exploitation of Polish workers in the UK. We have worked together to promote Polish culture in the UK and GMB instrumental in getting Polish Bands to play at Glastonbury Left Field in 2007 and 2008.”

Ends

Contact: Joanna Lucyszyn, GMB Organiser for the South Coast on 07943 812042, Arek Kusmierek, GMB Organiser in Luton on 07951 189877, Piotr Plonka, GMB Project Worker in Yorkshire on 07533 419368 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or Rose Conroy on 07974 251823.

Notes to Editors:

1. Polish born Boguslaw Modzdonek (07786 956010) was one several GMB members working in on the night shift in the kitchens at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel who were sacked by the hotel management in September. The management alleged that their work papers were incomplete. This was in spite of the fact that many of the mainly Polish nationals had been directly employed by the hotel for more than two years. The next day all bar Boguslaw Modzdonek were taken back on in their old jobs but this time employed through their original labour supply agency called Cover Staff. The workers originally had been supplied as a labour force to the Grosvenor House Hotel by the Cover Staff agency before being taken on as direct employees by the hotel.

The real reason why GMB member Boguslaw Modzdonek was not taken back and why the Polish workers were sacked in the first place was because, acting as a representative of the workers he had asked for a night premium and other improvements to their working conditions in the hotel’s underground kitchens. For this he has been victimised and sacked for trade union activities by the A JW Marriott hotel management who own the hotel. GMB represented Boguslaw Modzdonek at an appeal held on Monday 20^th October Since he was sacked Boguslaw Modzdonek has been without work or an income.

2. Sponsors are Trade Unions: GMB, OPZZ; UNISON; Polish Embassy in the United Kingdom; Polish Ex-Combatants Association; Relief Society for Poles Federation of Poles in Great Britain;  MB Grabowski Fund;  Polish Catholic Mission; Polish Women’s Benevolent Association; Polonia Aid Foundation Trust; Polish Airmen Association; Polish Educational; Society Polish Scouting Association;  Polish Social &Cultural Association; Veritas Foundation.