The wave of mass layoffs announced last year by Polish companies continues to take its toll. Unfortunately, many of these job cuts are now being implemented, leading to a growing number of unemployed workers.
Thousands of Poles Out of Work
According to data from the Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Policy, cited by Rzeczpospolita, employers planned group layoffs affecting 14,800 people in the first two months of this year. This is nearly three times more than during the same period last year. In January and February 2025 alone, 7,700 people have already lost their jobs.
Notably, in February, the number of announced group layoffs was slightly lower than a year earlier. However, the actual job losses were much higher, with 5,700 employees laid off—2.5 times more than in February 2024.
Unemployment on the Rise
The newspaper also highlights alarming forecasts from the Polish Ceramic Union, warning that the ceramic tile industry could face widespread bankruptcies and rising unemployment. The main reasons are soaring energy costs and a lack of protective measures against unfair competition, particularly from India.
One example of the economic downturn is the soda plant in Janikowo, owned by Qemetica Soda Polska (formerly Ciech). The company has announced a complete shutdown of production, citing high energy costs and an influx of cheap soda imports from outside the EU. If this closure proceeds as planned, around 350 employees will lose their jobs.
The company previously called for anti-dumping tariffs on Turkish soda, but no action has been taken. As a result, the plant is set to close permanently in July 2025.
The situation is similarly dire at the Kraśnik Bearing Factory, which announced group layoffs in March. As in many other cases, the reasons include rising energy costs and restrictions imposed by EU climate policies.