Meet “VOBRO” in the kitchen! Come to the picket! 11 Sep 2008, 9:00, Brodnica
While a young man covered in chocolate was bleeding on the floor, the work team busied itself cleaning the chocolate machine, thinking up a credible account of what happened that would not damage the company’s “repuation”. The company’s policy is based on marketing, where profit counts more than the health of a human being. Workers’ rights don’t exist, let alone any humanitarianism or ethics. Given this sort of company policy, it’s difficult to expect any sort of reaction from the owner of the “Vobro” sweet factory in Brodnica
It’s strange all the same that other workers, residents in the town and even local media are stunningly silent about the tragedy, sticking to the “nothing happened” version. But something did happen – a young person lost his life in rather unclarified circumstances, but for the “Vobro” company and the prosecutor’s office the situation is clear and according to them the accident happened uniquely due to the worker’s own fault! The out-dated machinery was not to blame, the 12-hour work shift was not to blame, and the absence of training a worker for work with dangerous machinery was not to blame either. It’s appalling that it’s so easy to blame a dead worker just because he hadn’t worked there for long, just because he was an “ordinary lad” and just to make sure that the affair didn’t became a major media scandal, which, of course, could affect the firm’s profits.
It’s appalling that the Work Inspector as well as the prosecutor classified obvious procedural lapses, violation of workers’ rights as well as manipulative behaviour by the people from a “favoured” employer as something ordinary. Regretfully we have to point out (for the n-th time!) that the job market doesn’t take into account human health and life, that the evidence which could help to reveal the truth is being efficiently removed, and the family which is in pain and mourning is left to themselves, searching for justice without any effect like Themis (of ancient Greek mythology). But this time no money, threats or “questioning” are searching for the truth and achievement of justice, for those who have no workers’ rights nor the right to life.
This is why on 11 September 2008 at 9:00 in front of the Regional Court at Brodnica at ulica Sądowa 5 there will be a solidarity picket with the family of the deceased to raise the problem of the “Vobro” company’s failure to respect workers’ rights, that lead to the loss of the young person’s life. The same day, at 12:00, there will be a second picket at the Brodnica main square.
We warmly invite all those who disagree with “Vobro”’s workers’ rights violations, all those for whom a human life is worth more than money or chocolate, all those who had the pleasure of knowing Krzysztof Pruszewicz. We don’t accept that this company can violate workers’ rights! We don’t accept that the tragedy can be hidden! Solidarity is our weapon!