The situation on the Polish labor market is deteriorating. According to the latest data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS), as many as 156 companies have reported plans to lay off over 77,000 employees. The most significant cuts are expected in the public sector, although private firms will also be affected. Experts emphasize, however, that these are only official figures—and the real scale of layoffs may be much larger.
According to information obtained by RMF24, the largest layoffs are planned in state-owned companies, including PKP Cargo and Poczta Polska (Polish Post).
Although private firms are also announcing reductions, they are expected to be somewhat smaller—but still substantial. Among the companies that have declared plans to cut staff, RMF24 lists Makro, Fujitsu, Shell, Heineken, and Aldi.
Alarming Situation in Kraków
The situation is particularly troubling in Kraków, where around 4,000 employees are at risk of losing their jobs. The most vulnerable sectors include specialized services such as IT, accounting, tax consulting, and customer service. According to experts, the planned changes could have a significant impact on the local labor market.
Disturbing reports are also emerging from the automotive industry. As reported by Business Insider Polska, according to data from the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA), approximately 54,000 jobs were eliminated in Europe last year, and forecasts for the current year show no signs of improvement.
Tomasz Bęben, president of the Association of Automotive Parts Distributors and Producers (SDCM) and board member of CLEPA, notes that the difficult situation in the European market directly affects the condition of Polish companies.
“Poland is one of the largest exporters of automotive parts and components in Europe. Every production halt in car factories means fewer orders for suppliers. In turn, they have to limit cooperation with their subcontractors, creating a domino effect,” he explained.
The issue has also drawn attention from Forbes magazine, which highlights that official statistics may not reflect the true scale of the phenomenon.
“Looking at the current data from labor offices, we can confidently say that the actual scale of layoffs in Poland is much greater than what appears from official reports,” said Dr. Iwona Jaroszewska-Ignatowska, attorney-at-law and founder of People & Law, a firm specializing in labor law, in an interview with the magazine.