publication
2025-09-11 18:00
The Chancellery of the Prime Minister has published a new bill on the functioning of hard coal mining. The document is to be a salvation for the industry, which has been struggling with financial problems and a decrease in employment for years. The implementation of the program will cost billions of zlotys, and its goal is to gradually restructure the sector – including closing mines, reduce jobs and pay out cover benefits.
The project, initially prepared by the Ministry of Industry, and currently piloted by the Ministry of Energy, assumes the termination of the activities of 17 Energy Coal Wydobyczne Plant.
In the next decade, the liquidation process will include Mines:
- KWK Bobrek,
- KWK Staszic-Wujek (Wujek movement), KWK Sośnica,
- KWK Bolesław Śmiały,
- KWK Ruda (Movement Bielszowice and Halemba Movement).
In total, three companies covered by a new support system – Polska Grupa Górnicza, Węglokoks Country and Southern Coal concern – employ around 44,000 people.
– If the planned amendment does not enter into force at the latest on January 1, 2026, this will seriously threaten both the industry and the energy security of the state – warns the Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyk.
Check -in and cover leave
According to the draft, the cover benefits will cover about 44 thousand. people employed in the Polish Mining Group, Węglokoks Country and the Southern Coal Company. Provided:
- one -time severance pay up to 170 thousand. PLN (without tax),
- Mining holidays and holidays for mechanical processing employees, which can last up to 4-5 years.
These solutions are to alleviate the effects of transformation and provide miners with time to prepare for a pension or disguise. The total cost of the program in 2026–2035 is estimated at around PLN 8.8 billion.
Two new holidays from 2024.
Parallel from May 10, 2024, additional forms of support for energy and mining sector employees – energy leave and mining leave came into force.
Energy leave (up to 4 years) can be obtained by people working in special conditions in the energy sector, who lacks a maximum of 4 years to a bridging pension or other types of retirement benefit.
Mining leave (also up to 4 years) is addressed to mine workers who are approaching retirement age or bridging pension.
The condition is the termination of the employment relationship and submitting the application by the employer to ZUS, which within 60 days confirms the rights. Time spent on vacation is treated as a period of work in special conditions.
Even 4 years of vacation – two new holidays from May 10, we explain who will be able to use them – Pit.pl
Miners can take a vacation, if they have not been up to 5 years to retire, processing employees – if they have been lacking 4 years, during the holidays is entitled to 80% of the monthly salary, after the holidays the employee retires.
The project also provides:
- the possibility of carrying employees between mines,
- Priority of employment in other plants for people from liquidated mines.
Restructuring will be financed from the state budget – by subsidies and increasing the capital of companies using tax securities.
Over PLN 8.6 billion in 10 years is provided for the implementation of the Act. In the event of exceeding this limit, payment may be suspended.
