At the “Silesia” coal mine in Silesia, the entire workforce – 754 employees – may lose their jobs. The administrator of one of Poland’s largest private mines has announced a plan to lay off all workers by the end of March 2026. Grzegorz Babij, the head of the “Solidarity” union at the mine, told Niezalezna.pl: “It’s a scandal!”
The administrator of PG “Silesia” in Czechowice-Dziedzice, owned by the company Bumech, delivered devastating news: he intends to dismiss the entire crew by the end of March 2026. Facing the prospect of mass layoffs, miners have turned to the government of Donald Tusk for help. But reactions from government officials have been mixed. At first, Deputy Energy Minister Marian Zmarzły claimed that such a scenario was “impossible,” only for Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka to later assure miners that “they will not be left on their own.”
“We sent a letter to Minister Motyka yesterday, asking for an urgent meeting on this matter. We are waiting for a reply. I won’t let this go. No employee of ‘Silesia’ will let this go. If something has been promised, words must be turned into actions. Time is running out,” says Grzegorz Babij, chairman of the Intercompany Organization of NSZZ ‘Solidarity’ at PG ‘Silesia.’
Union leaders emphasize that the mine holds some of the largest coal deposits in Poland and could continue operating. “We are fighting to save the facility, to keep the mine running. We have coal! Shutting this mine down is a scandal,” Babij warns.
A Dramatic Race Against Time
Since November last year, Bumech – the mine’s owner – has been under restructuring proceedings, with decisions made by the court-appointed administrator, attorney Marcin Ferdyn. According to the union leader, the official document concerning group layoffs reached workers just before this year’s Miners’ Day celebrations.
“We now have a 20-day consultation period; yesterday was the first meeting about the entire process. Bumech has proposed leasing our mine to the administrator and taking over some employees. I don’t know how to interpret this. I don’t believe in miracles. So far, there is no breakthrough,” Babij explains.
Time is extremely short. “If we do not reach a positive solution within these 20 days, the administrator will implement his own regulations, and from December 18 – just in time for Christmas – some workers may start receiving termination notices. The timing is terrible, especially with the holidays approaching,” he adds.
Government Rejects Aid, Minister Offers Assurances
“Solidarity” activists are seeking support everywhere – they have even spoken with the president’s office. But the key decisions lie with the government.
Last week, during work on the amendment to the mining law – which provides state assistance to miners leaving the profession from companies such as PGG, JSW, and the Southern Coal Company – a potential opportunity emerged for the “Silesia” workforce.
In the Sejm’s Committee on Energy, Climate and State Assets, the Law and Justice party (PiS) and the “Razem” party proposed an amendment extending the same protections to miners from PG “Silesia.” However, the governing coalition rejected the amendment—despite prior support from all unions operating at the mine and from some politicians.
“We were promised that things would be different. To quote a classic: what harm is there in making a promise…” Babij comments bitterly.
Moreover, Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Energy Marian Zmarzły stated that the state cannot support “Silesia” because “it is a private enterprise undergoing restructuring, and restructuring law excludes public aid—regardless of the state budget’s financial limitations.”
Despite this, following public criticism, Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka declared last weekend that he is aware of the situation and that the miners of “Silesia” would not be abandoned.
“We will push for Minister Motyka’s promises to be fulfilled. Words must be turned into actions. The situation changes by the minute. We are striving to stop the layoff procedure – withdraw it entirely,” the “Solidarity” leader says.
Local Government Alarmed
PG “Silesia” is one of the largest employers in the Podbeskidzie region. The municipality of Czechowice-Dziedzice, where the company is based, has over 40,000 residents.
“The municipality is watching the situation with great concern,” says Ariel Brończyk, chief specialist for social communication at the Czechowice-Dziedzice City Hall.
“PG ‘Silesia’ is a private entity, and the municipal government has no authority to interfere in the decisions of the mine’s owners. However, we are monitoring the situation and are prepared to activate support measures within our competencies – especially in the area of social assistance for families that may find themselves in a difficult situation.”
The situation is further complicated by contradictory information. “Just days before we were notified of group layoffs, media reports suggested that the restructuring process at PG ‘Silesia’ was yielding positive results. I don’t understand this, because the justification for group layoffs claims that the restructuring produced no positive effects. It’s hard for me to comment. I hope that during consultations in the coming days I will receive an explanation,” Babij concludes.