Yesterday we delivered a letter to the company ALL3 in London on behalf of our comrades in the Serbian Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative (ASI). ALL3 in Serbia have taken advantage of a worker’s precarious immigration status, ultimately leading to their wrongful dismissal, and we stand in solidarity with our comrades against this unfair treatment. Full letter below:
” To whom it may concern,
Our union has been informed by the Trade Union Confederation “Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative” – Section of the International Workers’ Association from Serbia– about a case involving abuse and violations of human and labor rights of Vladislav Surin by the management of your company – All3 in Serbia.
V.S. is a refugee coming from a war-affected region, and was initially promised certain employment conditions by All3 company, to which he agreed. Believing he had found stable employment and a solution to his existential situation, he relocated to Serbia. However, once he arrived and began working, it quickly became clear that the conditions promised to him are not actually provided.
V.S. repeatedly attempted to address these discrepancies in a calm and constructive manner. Each time he raised concerns about his working conditions, however, he experienced forms of intimidation and sabotage of his work: unrealistic tasks with impossible deadlines, intimidation, and eventually threats of dismissal. At one point, his access to the company’s offices was revoked, preventing him from working—after which the company attempted to present the situation as if he had refused to come to work. The company offered him a compensation package in exchange for signing a mutual-agreement resignation—an offer that was unacceptably low. When he refused, the company initiated disciplinary measures, replacing the attempted dismissal with a two-month suspension. Ultimately, his employment was terminated, citing untrue information as the excuse for it.
Throughout this process, your company not only failed to honor the conditions originally offered to him but also exploited his vulnerable position as a foreign citizen coming to Serbia from a conflict zone.
His demands are: adequate financial compensation for everything he suffered and for one-sided dismissal, or return to work, on which he will be allowed appropriate working conditions.
As a result of the issues outlined above, we hereby inform you that our union has joined international campaign directed against your company here in Britain. This campaign will continue until Vladislav Surin is provided with appropriate financial compensation for the harm he suffered, or until he is reinstated to his working position under fair and adequate working conditions.
Sincerely,
Solidarity Federation”