Poland: Indian workers employed at Orlen’s petrochemical plant near Plock allegedly subjected to abusive working conditions; incl. cos. responses
In August 2024, tvn24 reported that Indian workers employed at Orlen’s petrochemical plant, Olefiny III near Plock in Poland, have been subjected to abusive working conditions.
The plant is being developed by a consortium between Hyundai Engineering and Técnicas Reunidas, and was “billed as the largest petrochemical plant in Europe”. Hyundai Engineering allegedly then contracted several subcontractors who hired migrant workers at the site. Some of these workers were recruited through a Korean employment agency, including two Indian workers who allege a range of labour rights violations. Tvn24 contacted the agency for comment, but the agency did not respond.
Abuses include the denial of contracts, irregular wages, and poor living conditions.
It was very bad there. We lived in conditions that were unfit for human habitation. Sometimes there was no hot water, sometimes cold water, or no water at all.Indian worker employed at the plant
At the time, Orlen informed tvn24 that it was conducting inspections into labour rights at the plant. Hyundai Engineering did not respond to tvn24’s request for comment.
In June 2025, the Korean outlet Daum also reported on the case, naming one of the subcontractors hiring the workers through the Korean agency as Daeshin Plant Construction, which was contracted by Hyundai Engineering. Daum contacted Hyundai Engineering to invite a response to the allegations, which said it conducted an investigation at the site and that corrective actions were taken to address the issue.
The article in Daum also discusses wider allegations against Korean companies abroad, including allegations of poor living conditions at Dukovany nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic, where Daewoo Engineering & Construction planned to build extremely cramped worker housing. Daewoo Engineering & Construction denied the claims.
In August 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Daeshin Plant Construction and Técnicas Reunidas to respond to the allegations. Técnicas Reunidas’ responses can be read in full below; Daeshin Plant Construction did not respond.