The miners’ protest at the “Silesia” coal mine in Czechowice-Dziedzice has entered its fourth day. The miners are demanding, among other things, that they be covered by the social benefits provided for in the amended mining law, which, however, does not apply to this mine.
Protest at the Silesia Coal Mine
The miners’ spokesperson, Kazimierz Grajcarek, said that 21 people remain underground. He added that six more people are taking part in the protest on the surface.
The spokesperson recalled that on Wednesday the miners met with a representative of the Bumech Group, the owner of Silesia Mining Enterprise (PG Silesia), who declared that Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka would contact the protesters by phone. “So far, nothing like that has happened,” he noted.
On Thursday, the miners are to meet with Jaroslaw Grzesik, head of the National Mining and Energy Secretariat of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union Solidarity (NSZZ Solidarność).
Another Day of the Protest
The protest at Silesia has been ongoing since 6 a.m. on Monday. Trade unions emphasize that the action is grassroots in nature and is not a strike.
Above all, the miners are demanding that the government extend to their company the protective instruments provided from January 1, 2026, in the amended mining law for employees of companies with State Treasury ownership that are liquidating mines. From their employer, they are demanding payment of the full Barborka bonus for this year and no consequences for participating in the protest.
On Tuesday, union leaders met with the court-appointed administrator overseeing the restructuring program at the mine, as well as with a representative of the Bumech Group. They received verbal assurances that protest participants would face no consequences, although the miners are awaiting written confirmation.
On the same day, the energy minister sent a letter requesting that the protest be suspended for the holiday period and that talks resume after January 6. He assured that work is underway on legislative solutions that could extend support to the mine’s employees.
Will Motyka Meet with the Miners?
The minister’s position was criticized by the leader of NSZZ Solidarność at PG Silesia, Grzegorz Babij. “It cannot be that the analysis lasts for several months. The law has already been signed, and they are still analyzing it. How long will this take? Am I supposed to go down and show people this document?” he said.
He demanded that Minister Motyka come to Silesia and warned that the minister’s message could lead to an expansion of the protest.
On Tuesday, presidential ministers Karol Rabenda and Mateusz Kotecki went down to the underground protesters. “On my own behalf and on behalf of the President, I appeal to the government side to take action to resolve this matter positively,” Rabenda said.
Referring to the amendment to the Act on the functioning of hard coal mining, which will enter into force on January 1, 2026, and provides protective instruments for employees of State Treasury companies (it does not cover Silesia, which is private), Rabenda recalled that when signing the act on December 15, the President pointed out that it does not cover all miners and does not treat them equally. “The President announced that he would submit an amendment to the act, which we want to present soon at the next session of the Sejm, so that it covers all miners,” the minister emphasized.
On Christmas Eve, the protesters were visited by the chairman of NSZZ Solidarność, Piotr Duda, who expressed his support and criticized the government, indicating that both Minister Motyka and the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bak, should conduct negotiations in Czechowice-Dziedzice. Duda stressed that the current authorities are avoiding social dialogue.
On Christmas Eve evening, a Christmas vigil service for miners’ families was held at the Solidarity headquarters near the mine, celebrated by priests. It was originally supposed to take place in the pithead building, but the mine owner did not agree.
Silesia Mining Enterprise (PG Silesia) in Czechowice-Dziedzice is the largest private coal mine in Poland, with a market share in 2022 of around 3 percent in energy coal production and 2.3 percent in total hard coal production.
At the end of November, the administrator of Silesia’s restructuring estate informed the unions about planned collective layoffs that could affect more than 750 employees.
The Bumech Group, the owner of PG Silesia, submitted a lease offer for the mine to the administrator on December 8 and declared that it would take over selected employees in accordance with Article 23(1) of the Labour Code. As a result, the administrator postponed any potential layoffs until January.