2025-12-03 12:42
publication
2025-12-03 12:42
Employment in two mining companies belonging to ZE PAK is to fall from approximately 900 to nearly 200 people by the end of 2026, Dariusz Szymczak, president of PAK KWB “Konin”, announced on Wednesday. The reduction in employment is related to the end of mining at the last operating open pit in the region, “Tomisławice”.
Szymczak informed journalists that current employment at PAK KWB “Konin” and PAK Górnictwo is approximately 900 people. By the end of next year, the number of people working there is expected to drop to approximately 200. “We are facing really big layoffs” – said the president of the Konin mine.
Szymczak reminded that dismissed people will be able to benefit from the protection act and the EU program “Road to employment after coal”.
The protection act adopted in 2023 will cover nearly 23,000. employees throughout Poland, but it is miners and energy workers from the ZE PAK group who are the first to use it. The act provides for paid leaves for employees who are no more than four years away from reaching retirement age and annual severance pay, which may replace severance pay under collective labor agreements.
The “Road to employment after coal” program was initiated at the beginning of 2024. Over PLN 257 million from the EU Just Transition Fund is intended to support miners and energy workers from the ZE PAK Group, their families and employees of companies related to the energy industry in finding a new professional path. The program includes three components: advice and subsidies in looking for a new job, creating social cooperatives and starting your own business.
The reduction in employment in the mine is caused by the end of mining at the last operating open pit in the region, “Tomisławice”.. The current pace of coal mining is to be maintained until the end of March next year, and then it will be significantly reduced. As Szymczak informed, coal will be mined only for the needs of unit No. 9 of the “Pątnów” power plant, resulting from the contract on the capacity market that ZE PAK has until the end of 2026.
Unit No. 9 of the “Pątnów” power plant is to be a reserve for the national system until then and will only be turned on in the event of power shortages in the system. According to the mine's director, such a situation may occur several times a year, so the demand for coal will be small. For the period from March to December 2026, the power plant reported to the mine a demand of 75-100 thousand tons. tons, while this year the production will amount to 1.5 million tons.
Szymczak added that after the end of mining, the mine will continue to operate for some time, recultivating open pit workings.
In 2012, the mine became part of the ZE PAK energy concern controlled by Zygmunt Solorz. In 2020, the company announced the end of energy production from coal by 2030 at the latest (PAP)
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