“This government buried Polish mining in 2015 and is now doing it again in 2026,” Grzegorz Matusiak said while speaking outside Jastrzębska Coal Company (JSW).
More than a decade has passed since the pacification of protesting miners outside Jastrzębska Coal Company (JSW). As in 2015, today representatives of employees from the company’s mines once again gathered in front of its headquarters to defend their jobs.
“Jastrzębska Coal Company is in a deep crisis,” said Law and Justice (PiS) MP Grzegorz Matusiak while addressing the crowd. He noted that the company had begun talks with the social side, but at least a year too late.
“Today there is talk that a JSW miner will have to give up 40 percent of their earnings,” the politician added, stressing that this particularly affects the families of young miners.
He emphasized that JSW could lay off as many as 3,000 employees and added that this would also impact the Jastrzębie-Zdrój local government.
“This government buried Polish mining in 2015 and is now doing it again in 2026,” Matusiak concluded.
The strike at JSW, triggered by a cost-cutting program developed by the company’s management, lasted from January 28 to February 13, 2015. At that time, miners protested to secure decent working conditions. These peaceful protests were pacified with smoothbore weapons. All this took place during the rule of Civic Platform (PO) and Polish People’s Party (PSL). At least 20 people were injured during the pacification.
After the events outside JSW’s headquarters, the Gliwice prosecutor’s office conducted two investigations. The first concerned violations of the law on resolving collective labor disputes by the strikers, and the second concerned possible abuse of power or failure to fulfill duties by police officers. Both proceedings were discontinued.