“It's not enough,” miners' trade unions shout after the meeting with MAP

The Minister of Assets positively assessed Tuesday's meeting with the signatories of the social agreement for mining. According to the trade union, the adoption of the draft mining act by the government and the declarations from the talks are not enough to cancel the trade union demonstrations on November 4 in Katowice.

As the Minister of Assets, Wojciech Balczun, emphasized after Tuesday's talks, it was his first meeting with the signatories of the social agreement on the transformation of mining and he assessed it very positively. In addition to the trade union side, the meeting was also attended by, among others: Minister of Energy Miłosz Motyka, management boards of coal companies and local government officials.

Balczun recalled in a recording published on Facebook that on Tuesday the government adopted not only a draft amendment to the Mining Act, which, among other things, allows for social protection for employees of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa. “JSW will be subject to a very deep restructuring” – noted the minister. He emphasized that on Tuesday, the government also adopted a draft amendment to the Minerals Tax Act, thanks to which – according to him – KGHM and the entire copper sector will have greater investment opportunities.

As the head of the Silesian-Dąbrowa Solidarity trade union, Dominik Kolorz, told PAP, the government's adoption of the draft amendment to the mining act, which included social protections, was the only concrete thing.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, but we need to keep an eye on it, because for now it is a government project and there will be further legislative work on it in parliament. During the discussion, a few things emerged that we do not like yet, such as the possibility of using administrative staff's protection. We still need to work hard for this, stressed Kolorz. “Until the parliament adopts it and the president signs it, we must be vigilant,” he added.

Kolorz also informed that the discussion also concerned the Minister of Assets to supervise the restructuring talks at Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa. The trade unionist said that a declaration had been made that MAP would definitely be interested in this. – And once again there was a promise that the government would not let JSW fail – he added.

The head of the Silesian-Dąbrowa Solidarity trade union noted that when discussing the implementation of the social contract, major discrepancies concerned, for example, the energy sector, which is switching to gas, not as stipulated in the contract. – We have achieved just as little in terms of creating new jobs in Silesia and the transformation of the entire economy in Silesia – stressed Kolorz.

Minister Wojciech Balczun noted in the recording that the parties agreed to continue the dialogue. Kolorz said that the next meeting might take place in November, but all this would not be enough to make the trade unions abandon the demonstration planned for November 4 in Katowice. – It must take place because it is not only about mining, but also the metallurgical industry, the entire automotive and energy-intensive industries – he noted..

The draft amendment to the mining act adopted by the government on Tuesday provides for protections for employees of Polska Grupa Górnicza, Południowy Koncern Węglowy and Węglokoks Kraj, but also mechanisms enabling employees of other mining companies – i.e. Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa and LW Bogdanka – to benefit from these protections.

The project specifies, among others: conditions of entitlements, such as length of service for mining leaves and leaves for mechanical processing of coal workers, from 80 percent. remuneration calculated as for holiday leave, without the obligation to work. The one-off severance pay will amount to PLN 170,000. PLN tax-exempt.

The social contract of May 2021 regulates, among others: rules and pace of phasing out of thermal coal mines in Poland by 2049. In its current version, it applies to three coal companies covered by the public support system: PGG, PKW and Węglokoks Kraj. (PAP)

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