Polska Grupa Górnicza, which currently employs approx. 35,000. people, would like this year, among others, using protective instruments from the amended mining act, reduce employment by approx. 5,000. people – announced the company's president, Łukasz Deja, on Monday.
He emphasized that PGG “does not want to lay off 5,000 employees.” – We want to ensure that the employment reduction, which must take place due to the lower demand for coal, is carried out in a very good way, that is, in a socially responsible way and in accordance with the law – he assured.
Deja estimated that of the number 5,000. approx. 3.6 thousand people could benefit from the amendments introduced from January 1 this year. the Act on the operation of stone mining with protective tools, financed by the state budget. These include paid mining and processing leaves and one-off severance pay.
The president admitted that a much larger scale of reduction is planned than approximately 1,260 thousand. people in 2025, but last year the company did not have any statutory tools yet.
Representatives of the PGG management board confirmed at a meeting with journalists on Monday that this year, on April 1, the four-year process of liquidation of the Wujek section of the Wujek-Staszic mine will begin (mining in Wujek was completed in 2021), and mining in the Bielszowice section of the Ruda mine is planned to end on June 30.
Vice-President for Production Marek Skuza reminded that approximately 2.2 people currently work in the Bielszowice mine, and less than 800 people in the Wujek mine, due to the earlier relocation of a large part of the crew to the Staszice mine.
– With the launch of the shelters, first of all, employees of the Bielszowice operation will join the Halemba operation, on the other hand, about 400 people must remain there until the mining plant is closed down, and the remaining people have guaranteed jobs in other PGG branches: they will simply replace those who will leave from there for the shelters – explained Skuza.
He added that approximately 320 people will remain at Wujek until the plant is closed down, and approximately 100 people will benefit from the voluntary departure program. The rest will move to Staszic, replacing employees there who want to use the shields.
When asked about the company's interest in one-off severance pay (PLN 170,000 net), President Deja noted that in the December survey, 1.2 thousand people declared interest in this tool. employees, and currently – when declarations are being collected – it is half of this number.
According to Vice-President Skuza, this may be due to the fact that the mechanism is just starting and some employees want to see how it will work for the first users. – We need to take the first step and that is why we are trying to complete this first tranche. I think this will mean that there will be more of these people in subsequent tranches by the end of the year, he said.
Skuza also noted that the real value of the current one-off severance pay for the hard coal mining sector is lower than in previous years, e.g. in the energy or steel industry, and currently than resulting from the program for the lignite mining industry and coal-fired power plants.
The president of PGG signaled his will to have the first one-off severance pay paid at the end of February this year. He said that the process of obtaining consents and opinions regarding documents is currently underway and perhaps next week the company will be able to sign a contract with the ministry. – Then it's a matter of transferring the funds. We assume that it will be the end of this month, Deja said.
Skuza recalled that the amended Mining Act entered into force on January 1 this year, later a regulation came into force, and PGG received guidelines for protection around January 23. – They changed the shape of what we applied for, because our company applied for these covers on January 7. So first you need to technically complete this process once, then it will be easier – he said.
The vice-president said that in the event of the liquidation of Bielszowice, the scope of work would include, among others: liquidation of 47.7 km of workings and demolition of 468 of 663 structures (preserving historic structures). The company is already cooperating with the city, which would like to see new production investments on post-mining land.
In turn, in Wujek, 27.5 km of excavations need to be liquidated and secured, and 29 facilities (including shaft towers, baths, workshops) need to be handed over to the Katowice local government – based on a tripartite agreement with the participation of the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis. The Wujek area is also part of the area subject to Katowice's competition for the concept of new development of this part of the city.
President Deja declared that PGG wants to – using the possibilities resulting from the amended Mining Act – significantly shorten the process of re-development of post-mining areas. So far, it has taken on average 10-15 years from the closure of the mine to the possible introduction of new functions.
The amendment provides for easier management of post-mining areas (entrepreneurs may, among other things, transfer them to local governments). The amended law allows for the transfer of property of mining companies in the form of a donation, and the taken over areas can be used for investments, construction of infrastructure or revitalization projects, which is intended to help in the economic development of post-mining regions.
PGG's vice-president for production estimated on Monday that this year's production at PGG, due to decreasing employment and the number of plants, should reach 15-15.5 million tons, depending on demand, compared to 16.1 million tons in 2025. (PAP)
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