Christmas Eve 500 meters underground. Miners reject the minister's proposal: It's a shot in the face

Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka should be here with me today and talk to the miners, said the chairman of NSZZ Solidarność, Piotr Duda, who came to the protesting miners from the Silesia mine on Wednesday. According to the head of Solidarity in Silesia, Grzegorz Babija, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs suggested a meeting on January 7 after the protest was interrupted.

Miners from Przedsiębiorstwo Górniczy Silesia have been protesting since 6 a.m. on Monday. The unions argue that this is a grass-roots action and does not constitute a strike. According to the protesters' spokesman, Kazimierz Grajcarek, on Wednesday morning there were about 20 people 500 meters underground and six more on the surface.

The protesters are demanding, first of all, that the government cover their company with protective instruments that, from January 1, 2026, the amended Mining Act will provide to employees of companies with State Treasury shareholding that are closing down mines, and from the employer – payment of the entirety of this year's Saint's Day and no consequences for the protest.

– I am here today as the head of Solidarity, but also as the vice-chairman of the Social Dialogue Council. The minister's duty – as a member of the Social Dialogue Council – (…) is to be here and talk to miners. Similarly, the presence and conduct of negotiations of the Minister (Family, Labor and Social Policy – PAP) Dziemianowicz-Bąk should be an obligation – said Piotr Duda.

The chairman of Solidarity accused the Minister of Energy of “probably wanting to subordinate the strike to his holiday schedule.” – This is what we say as Solidarity: this is the first government after 1989 that does not want to conduct social dialogue at all, it bypasses the social side, it does not want to talk to trade unions, whether agricultural or trade unions, industry unions, trade union headquarters – he said.

Duda noted that he came to the mine to meet the protesters underground. – That's why I'm here, to say that I'm proud, because many people who sit and protest on Facebook today are brave. This is courage: to go down and protest, knowing that it may last a day, a week, (…) several dozen days. The miners are determined because they don't want anything extraordinary. They just want to be treated the same way as everyone else. They don't want to be discriminated against, he said.

The union leader added that the atmosphere among the protesters is – as he put it – combative. – Miners know what they want: (…) include them in the mining act, which was voted on and signed by the president. This is the most important thing to them. They are fighting for tomorrow and jobs, he said.

The chairman of Solidarity in Silesia, Grzegorz Babij, said that a representative of the owner of the Bumech Group visited the protesters on Wednesday. According to a trade unionist, he told them that Minister Motyka and Deputy Minister of Energy Marian Zmarzły called him in the morning. – The arrangements are similar to what took place in yesterday's letter, i.e. that Minister Motyka wants to stop the protest and meet on January 7. (…) There is no consent to this – he pointed out.

At 4 p.m., a Christmas Eve service was held for the miners' families at the Solidarity headquarters, right next to the mine. Originally, it was supposed to take place in the hall, but the mine owner did not agree to it. – This is very sad. I feel like crying. “I can't speak,” one of the women said, her voice breaking.

On Tuesday, trade union leaders met with the court administrator who supervises the rehabilitation program implemented at the mine and a representative of the Bumech Group, the mine's owner. They received a verbal assurance from the manager that no consequences would be brought against those participating in the action. However, miners expect this in writing.

On Tuesday, Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka sent a letter in which he asked to suspend the protest action for the Christmas and New Year period and to return to talks after January 6. He assured that the ministry is intensively working on finding legislative solutions that would include the possibility of supporting the company's employees.

Grzegorz Babij criticized the minister's position. As he said: “this is a shot in the miner's face.” – There cannot be a situation where the analysis has been going on for several months. The act has already been signed and they are still analyzing it. I ask, how long? Should I go down and show this piece of paper to the people downstairs? – he shouted. A trade unionist demanded that Miłosz Motyka come to Silesia. He also expressed fear that such a message from the minister may result in the extension of the protest.

On Tuesday, presidential ministers Karol Rabenda and Mateusz Kotecki visited the protesters underground. – On my own behalf, but also on behalf of Mr. President, I wanted to ask the government to take action to clarify this matter and end it positively – Rabenda later appealed.

Referring to the amendment to the Act on the Operation of Hard Coal Mining, which will enter into force on January 1, 2026, which specifies, among others, protective instruments for employees of companies with State Treasury participation (this does not apply to Silesia, which is private – PAP) Rabenda recalled that by signing the act on December 15 this year. the president pointed out that it does not cover all miners in Poland and therefore does not treat them equally.

– The President announced that we will submit an amendment to this act in the near future. I want to uphold this declaration of the president. We are working on it so that before the next session of the Sejm we can take the initiative to change this act to cover all miners – emphasized the minister.

On Wednesday, Piotr Duda, referring to this issue, recalled that there was already a precedent. – What I mean here is the Pątnów-Adamów Konin power plant complex, which is private. The European Commission had no doubts that there would be state aid. (…) I don't see any problem with the Silesia mine and miners being covered by public aid, he added.

Przedsiębiorstwo Górnicze Silesia in Czechowice-Dziedzice is the largest private coal mine in Poland. Its share in the Polish market in 2022 was approximately 3%. in the production of thermal coal and 2.3 percent in total hard coal production.

At the end of November this year. The administrator of the Silesia restructuring estate notified the unions of the intention to make collective redundancies. They would apply to over 750 people working in Silesia.

The Bumech Group, the owner of the PG Silesia company that operates the mine, announced on December 8 this year that it had submitted an offer to lease the Silesia mine to the manager of the PG Silesia restructuring estate. Bumech also declared the takeover of selected employees in accordance with Art. 23(1) of the Labor Code. In this situation, the administrator of the restructuring estate postponed possible layoffs until January. (PAP)

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