At the former Fiat plants owned by Stellantis, 740 people are set to lose their jobs, while nearly 3,000 more may be laid off at cooperating companies. NSZZ Solidarność has entered into a collective dispute with the employer, negotiating a voluntary redundancy program for workers.
“Orders are there, but the Green Deal is killing the entire automotive industry. It’s not even that there’s no demand for internal-combustion cars. The problem is the EU directive under which any manufacturer that fails to sell a certain number of electric vehicles will be hit with penalties,” says Mirosław Kuś of the Inter-Company Trade Union Organization of NSZZ “Solidarność” at Stellantis in Tychy, openly expressing his outrage.
“Up to 3,000 People Could Lose Their Jobs at Cooperating Companies”
Iconic models once rolled out of this plant: the Fiat 126p, later the Cinquecento, Seicento, Panda, and Fiat 500. Today, Stellantis produces the Jeep Avenger, Fiat 600, and Alfa Romeo Junior—and has just announced plans to eliminate the third shift starting in March this year. This means around 740 jobs will be cut at the plant itself.
At 58 cooperating companies, the number could be several times higher. In total, 2,500–3,000 people may be left without work. “This is a tragedy. In my view, it’s not about a lack of demand for internal-combustion cars; it’s about the EU directive under which manufacturers that don’t sell a specified number of electric vehicles face penalties, because sales volumes of combustion and electric cars must be comparable. Orders exist, but the Green Deal is killing the entire automotive industry,” Kuś told Niezalezna.pl.
“Solidarność” Negotiates a Voluntary Redundancy Program
NSZZ “Solidarność” has entered into a collective dispute with the employer and has been negotiating a voluntary redundancy agreement for two weeks.
“For us, the most important thing is that every employee is treated as well as possible, with a voluntary redundancy program in place. It’s also about changes to work organization. Right now, the employer can approach, for example, a maintenance worker and say: ‘We don’t have a job for you in this position; we’re offering you work on the assembly line.’ If the employee refuses, they will be dismissed under the Labor Code, which is very unfavorable. That’s why we’re negotiating to have everything clearly spelled out in an agreement with the employer,” Kuś adds.
“Dialogue with the Social Side Is Only Pretended”
The board of the Silesian–Dąbrowa branch of “Solidarność” has sent a letter to Stellantis’s largest shareholders, stressing that the Tychy factory was one of the group’s best—both in terms of vehicle quality and labor productivity. The Stellantis engine plant in Bielsko-Biała has already been shut down. Now, the regional “Solidarność” leadership describes dialogue with the social side as merely symbolic. We asked for comment from Agnieszka Brania, spokesperson for Stellantis plants in Poland, but she did not respond.
“The Green Deal Threatens Catastrophe for Our Country”
“This is a tragedy!” says Stanisław Szwed, Law and Justice (PiS) MP and former deputy minister of family, labor, and social policy.
“Unfortunately, only ‘Solidarność’ is fighting for workers by entering a collective dispute with the employer. It’s a pity other trade union federations didn’t join. A voluntary redundancy program—like those in other automotive companies—is still being negotiated. From talks with union members in the Podbeskidzie region, I know that group layoffs are planned in Tychy without additional benefits or severance. Such support would be particularly important for older workers with long tenure who are just a few years from retirement. Where will they find jobs if they’re laid off? In such cases, a voluntary redundancy program would provide them with a livelihood, but so far the employer is unwilling to implement it. We’ll see how the situation develops. The Green Deal—protested by both trade unions and our party—affects the automotive industry and more,” the politician notes.
“In other sectors—mining, steelmaking—the situation is also very difficult. Unemployment is rising and group layoffs are underway. At the Silesia mine in Czechowice-Dziedzice, layoffs have just begun, which also breaches an agreement signed last December. The Green Deal and what’s happening in Europe threaten catastrophe for our country and nation. This affects all of us. Donald Tusk’s government is focused on other things instead of real problems, including those of the automotive industry. There were attempts to meet with ministers, but nothing came of them—the heads of ministries don’t want to meet automotive workers. There is no dialogue with the social side at all. Tusk’s team is busy pursuing Law and Justice instead of addressing Poles’ problems,” he emphasizes.
“The Labor Market Situation Is Stable”
Former Silesian governor Jarosław Wieczorek warns that earlier findings have unfortunately been confirmed, with a record in 2025: nearly 100,000 notifications of group layoffs nationwide—three times more than in 2024.
However, Arkadiusz Kaczor from the Information and Promotion Team at the Department of Management and Planning of European Funds of the Voivodeship Labor Office in Katowice claims the labor market in Tychy and across the Silesian agglomeration remains stable.
“The labor market across the Silesian Voivodeship is absorptive and diversified. Automotive workers have long operated across the entire agglomeration, which significantly increases their mobility and chances of finding new employment. We’re dealing with a difficult moment for part of the workforce, not a labor-market collapse. The region has experience with transformation processes and tools that allow people to return to the labor market relatively quickly or acquire new skills. Those being laid off can count on real support,” he says.
Local Government Steps In
“The situation is serious, which is why the city and labor-market institutions are coordinating their response. Our priority is fast access to reliable information, job offers, counseling, and support for workers. We’re working with labor offices, the Katowice Special Economic Zone, and other partners. The city has launched a free legal advice point at Tychy City Hall. We’re talking to employers, supporting job matching, and organizing training,” explains Małgorzata Wawak, spokesperson for Tychy City Hall.
Unemployment benefits in Tychy will be paid by the local labor office for 180 days, and for certain groups—for 365 days.