The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is appalled that Polish newspaper Gazeta Polska distributed today ‘LGBT free zone’ stickers.
Doing so could create unnecessary divisions and conflicts in workplaces and in society, as demonstrated by the violence against members of the LGTB community on Saturday. Producing such stickers could lead people to break the law by discriminating on grounds of sexual orientation, which is against EU and Polish law. It also disrespects fundamental human rights.
It is a provocation, an insult to members of the LGBT community, and should be avoided.
We call on the newspaper to desist from distributing such trouble-making stickers, we call on the Polish and European authorities to condemn and take appropriate action against the publication and use of such stickers, and above all we call on all people of Poland who want to live in peace and mutual respect to throw away such offensive stickers.
ETUC adopted a statement in 2017 renewing their commitment to equal treatment and non-discrimination, respect and dignity for LGBTQI* persons and workers https://www.etuc.org/en/document/madrid-declaration-rights-lgbtqi-people-workplace, and at its Congress in 2019 adopted a manifesto committing to combat all forms of discrimination including sexual orientation and gender identity https://www.etuc.org/sites/default/files/page/file/2019-05/EN%20-%20Manifesto%20-%20Finale.pdf .
