ABOUT US

 

The „Budowlani” Trade Union unites over 10 000 workers throughout Poland – construction and building material workers, housing cooperative members, foresters, environment protection workers, woodworkers, furniture industry workers and others.

„Budowlani”, founded over 125 years ago, is a legal successor to many unions once operating within the sectors covered by its activity.

„Budowlani” members are active in over 260 basic organisations (company-wide and intercompany alike) in 14 Districts, with the area covered by them being tied directly to national administrative divisions.

The highest authority within the Union is the Congress, convening once every 5 years. The actions of „Budowlani” are directed by the National Council, the National Board and the Union President. National Workers’ Sections operate within the Union with the purpose of representing the interests of particular sectors.

Within its actions, „Budowlani” acts according to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, the Bill on Workers’ Unions, the Labour Code, and other articles of law regulating the labour market, both national and international in nature. The „Budowlani” Statute forms the basis of the Union’s operations.

The „Budowlani” union is a member of the All-Polish Trade Union Alliance, the International Organisation of Woodworkers and Construction Workers (BWI), a member of the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW), and a party to various cooperation agreements between unions operating in the construction and woodworking sector. Close working relations with our union partners, especially within our region, are necessary due to the spread of globalisation within the sphere of construction and woodworking. The cooperation agreement between Poland, Czech, Slovak, Hungary, Austria and Germany’s unions working within the construction sector is an important platform for international contacts.

The union works towards establishing collective labour agreements on multiple levels, the realisation of commitments and social agreements, and the protection of established rights. It takes initiative in perfecting the labour code, the social insurance system, vocational education and socioeconomic policy in general. „Budowlani” pays special attention to the betterment of work safety within sectors that the Union is active in. Representatives of the Union take part in the operations of the Labour Protection Council (subject to the Sejm) and the Councils of Work Safety in Construction (subject to the Central and District Inspectorates of Labour).

„Budowlani” is a signatory to the National Collective Labour Agreements for State Forest and National Park employees.

The Union grants legal aid and intervenes in conflicts between Union members and their employers. The Union also maintains training courses, along with services concerning publishing, cultural, informational, recreational and social activities, leisure, and sport. In order to maintain the funds required to operate properly, the Union also engages in economic activity.

The Union participates in multiple international and national projects made possible with EU funding, using its many connections with national and international European organisations. Since 1999, the Union has taken part in the completion of over 30 international projects (as both leader and partner). Its main national project, started in 2017 and set to end in 2022, is the Sectoral Council on Competences in Construction. „Budowlani” leads that project’s partnership.

„Budowlani” is open to social dialogue. It co-created the Tri-Party Team on Construction and Communal Management. „Budowlani” leads dialogue and sets up many new initiatives in accordance with cooperation agreements with some of the largest employers’ unions working within sectors related to the Union. One of the most important multi-party agreements initiated by the Union is the Agreement on the Minimal Work-Hour Calculation Rate in the Construction and Property Management Sectors.

All workers employed within the sectors concerning the Union, conducting education related to those sectors, or taking part in communal or real estate management can become Union members. Retirees once meeting those criteria are also eligible, as are self-employed workers operating within sectors of the Union’s activity. Those who are self-employed, unemployed, or employed by a small company can attain Union membership through involvement in Inter-company organisations.

---

A Timeline of the Budowlani Workers’ Movement in Poland

The labour movement of construction workers in Poland is entering its 125th year. We must remember, however, that this milestone – accepted by our community and steeped in history – is supported by convention alone. Within the three Partitions of Poland, the movement was already starting to form by the 1860’s. The first Polish labour organisation was registered within the Austrian Partition, encouraged by the somewhat liberal legal system of Austria-Hungary. Below is a simplified and brief timeline of our movement. We are committed to further researching our history and continuing the work of post-WWII historical commissions of our Union, especially the work of teams led by dr. Czesław Krawczak, an expert author of many works on our history.

1868 – the first documented reports of the establishment of a local chapter of the Common German Carpenter Union (Bydgoszcz, Tczew, Wieleń) uniting, among others, Polish workers (lassalian current);

The 1870’s – the establishment of hirsch-duncker union chapters (in Toruń, for example), tasked with disrupting the operation of social-democratic organisations;

1882 – the formation of a construction workers’ association in Lviv. The statute of the Construction Workers’ Association for Galicia and Cieszyn Silesia is approved by the Austrian authorities in 1894;

1890 – 1914 – rapid development of free vocational construction unions in Pomerania, Silesia, and Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) regions after the scrapping of the so-called anti-socialist bill in 1890;

1892 – attempts at unifying the first illegal union organisations in the Kingdom of Poland (Russia partition) by the Union of Polish Workers;

1899 – the establishment of the first Christian workers’ unions in Poland (Poznań, Gdańsk, Pszczew, Chełmno), associating workers of all crafts;

1902 – the forming of the first craft unions–construction organisations within the Polish Workers’ Union (Poznań district);

1905 – the establishing of the Construction Industry Workers’ Union (social-democratic) in Warsaw and of the National Workers’ Union (national/nationalist democracy). After 1909, Tsarist authorities seek to actively suppress the rapidly-expanding Polish labour movement.

1912 – the establishment of the Construction Unit of the Polish Work Association (Zjednoczenie Zawodowe Polskie) within the German partition;

1914-18 – limiting of labour activity within all three Partitions due to World War I, with only the Construction Industry Workers’ Union remaining active;

1918 – 1919 –the reestablishing of the Union of Male and Female Construction Workers, and an expansion of structures already present within the Kingdom of Poland;

1919 – the establishment in Kraków of the Construction Workers’ Union, also functioning beyond Galicia;

1919 – the formation of the Association of Free Workers’ Unions in Western Poland (Bydgoszcz, main activity in and around Pomerania);

1919 – the establishing of new chapters by the Construction and Associated Crafts Workers’ Union (western Poland), the Polish Union of Christian Construction Workers (Kraków), and the Central Union of Christian Construction Workers (Bytom);

1924 – dismantling of the Union of Male and Female Construction Workers by the authorities;

1925 – first attempts at unifying unions within the construction sector. The Central Construction Workers’ Union (CZRB) forms in Kraków, following the social-democratic and Christian currents;

1928 – CZRB, thanks to unification efforts, becomes the largest construction workers’ union center in Poland;

Luty 1935 – the Central Union of Construction, Woodworking, and Ceramics Workers (CZRPBDCiPZ) forms, headquartered in Warsaw;

1937 – the National Union of Construction Workers (affiliated with national/nationalist democracy) forms;

1939 – the dismantling of labour organisations by Nazi and Soviet forces;

1944 – the gradual restoration of labour structures in liberated areas;

lipiec 1945 – the First Congress of the Union of Construction, Woodworking and Ceramics Workers takes place, with the Union being based on the pre-war CZRPBDCiPZ.;

1946-1948 – expansion of CZRPBDCiPZ structures (273 000 members in1947);

1948 -1954 – loss of independence, strong subordination to the newly-formed Polish United Workers’ Party (PZPR), expansion of social, educational, cultural and cooperative activity;

1954-1956 – failed attempts at democratisation of labour structures;

lipiec 1957 – new Union statute, changes in structure and a new name: the Union of Workers in Construction and the Construction Material Industry;

1963 – 1979 – focus on social activity, workplace safety, employment conditions (intercompany collective bargaining) and, at the same time, production. Dependence on CRZZ, PZPR and government leadership;

August 1980 – the formation of the Independent Self-Governing Workers’ Union (NSZZ) „Solidarność”

October 1980 – the XII Congress of the Union of Workers in Construction and the Construction Material Industry changes its name to the Independent Self-Governing Workers’ Union of the Construction Industry and Housing Construction Cooperatives. Severance of ties to party and state union structures. Before August, the Union had 1125 000 members;

December 1981 – martial law and the suspension of labour union operation, along with property seizure;

November 1983 – the First Congress of the Independent Construction Workers’ Federation ;

1989 – re-registration of NSZZ „Solidarność”

February1991 – transformation of the Independent Construction Workers’ Federation into the united, homogenous Trade Union „Budowlani”;

1994 – membership of the Union in the International Federation of Construction and Woodworking Workers headquartered in Geneva;

December 2005 – „Budowlani” takes part in the creation of the International Organisation of Woodworkers and Construction Workers (BWI);

June 2006 – membership of „Budowlani” in the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers ;