Coal miners plan new protest

photo - IAR/Łukasz Kowalski

The coal mining unions planned the date of their protest to make it more visible for the new government. Their representatives say that talks with the government came to a halt when now former PM Donald Tusk was chosen president of the European Council.

The Polish coal mining sector is going through a difficult period, with the four biggest, state-owned companies generating lower revenue than in previous years.

The biggest company in the industry, Kompania Węglowa, had a loss of more that 600 million zloty (about 145 million euro) last year.

The company is now working on a restructuring plan and has already sold one of its mines to Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa.

“Talks broke down when Tusk chose Brussels,” Wacław Czerkawski from the Polish Miners Labour Union told daily Gazeta Wyborcza on negotiations between trade unions, the companies and government.

“We will go to Warsaw to remind the prime minister that miners exist and that she should talk with them,” he stressed.

Stanisław Kłysz from the Solidarity trade union told the TVN24 broadcaster that the protesters demand a clear stance from the new government, which would guarantee the further functioning of the Polish coal mining sector.

“Over the past months Tusk managed to save the current situation, but we still lack complex solutions, which would guarantee a safe future for the mining industry,” Bogusław Ziętek from another union, Sierpien '80 says.

Coal provides Poland will over 55 percent of its primary energy consumption. (kw/pg)