The manager of the Dino store in Sochaczew lost her job after she reported the problem of low temperatures and let MP Adrian Zandberg in. Staff were freezing at 6°C, and the company gave a vague reason for the dismissal. The case is causing outrage – is fighting for working conditions being punished?
What happened at Dino?
Katarzyna Kiwerska managed the Dino Polska store in Sochaczew. She first alerted headquarters that temperatures in the warehouse and on the sales floor were too low – thermometers showed as little as 2-6°C.
When this did not help, she reported the matter to the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) and a trade union. Eventually she let in Adrian Zandberg, an MP who came on a parliamentary intervention. He measured the temperature at 8°C and called the conditions „inhuman”.
A few days later came a disciplinary dismissal for „serious breach of duties”. Kiwerska believes it is retaliation for raising the issue publicly.
Reactions and controversy
Trade unionists from OPZZ Konfederacja Pracy called it a scandal. They stress that the dismissal procedures were flawed and that employees are still working in the cold.
Labour Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk responded sharply: „Standing up for the health of colleagues is commendable conduct, not retaliation”.
The Dino chain has not commented on the case. This raises questions about compliance with the Labour Code – the minimum temperature for light work is 18°C.
Main allegations against the company
- Heaters were not working, and warehouses were unheated.
- Staff served customers in their jackets, shivering with cold.
- Dismissal without a detailed justification.
This story shows how risky it can be to fight for basic rights. Kiwerska is planning to go to court – „We will meet in court”, she announces.
Is change coming?
The case has reached the media, which may trigger PIP inspections in other stores. It is worth following developments – perhaps it will be the impulse for better standards.
