Polish Authorities on the Employment of Koreans
Maria Kruczkowska, Mikołaj Chrzan
2007-01-25, last updated 2007-01-24 19:27
-It’s terrible – tells us vice minister of employment Kazimierz Kuberski – but there is nothing we can do.
As we have revealed yesterday, the European Parliament is checking information about the employment of Koreans from the north in some EU countries. They are employed by companies from Poland (like the Gdansk Shipyard and agricultural farms) and Czech Republic, and most probably from Bulgaria and Romania as well.
The eployees work their hands to the bone over 10 hours a day, are under constant surveillance of Korean soldiers and give most of their fees away to the Korean government. This way, countries where the Koreans are employed, in some way sponsor the cruel communist regime of Kim Dzong Il.
- It’s hardly a secret that the Koreans are abused and have to pay a tribute. It’s terrible – Tells us minister Kubierski. After our publication, the ministry is preparing to send a team to Gdansk to investigate the matter, probably together with police forces. However, he can’t even fool himself that this will prove to be an effective visit.
There has been an inspection in the Gdansk Shipyard once already, when in march 2006 “Gazeta” revealed the employment of Korean welders. – That inspection didn’t find any law abuse. – Kubierski says.
Back then, it turned out that when it comes to checking up on contracted foreign workers (sent to Poland on the basis of the “exportation service”), the competences of the National Employment Inspection are very limited. The inspectors didn’t find any anomalies or faults in the Selene company’s documents (Selene is responsible for importing workers). They tried to contact the Koreans. With no effect.
According to our sources, Korean sworn translators refused to help. So the inspectors turned to the only Korean in the Shipyard, who spoke Polish – the supervisor of the workers. They asked whether it’s true that the Koreans work over 10 hours, 7 days a week. Seeing as he answered, that the working time is normal, that’s what they wrote in the inspection protocol. Wage documentation was a poor source of information, because it’s all in Korean.
The Koreans had been employed building ships in Gdansk, and are still now. As of today, 28 are employed there.
After yesterday’s publication, the ministry of internal affairs spokesman Andrzej Sados told us, that the ministry will turn for help to other departments for help.
The organ responsible for giving out work permits to foreigners is The Office of Repatriation and Foreigners. – Every foreigner who wants to work in Poland is treated exactly the same as others, regardless of the regime in their country – tells us head of office Jan Wegrzyn.
Information of money from fees being sent to bank accounts of the regime is no business of the Office. – It’s the police’s job.- he tells us.