Sejm passes mining reform bill

The voting, which took place late on Thursday, was presided by a heated discussion on both sides of the Sejm.

The result of the voting – presented after 1 a.m. on Friday – was 240 for, 208 against, with two abstentions.

The bill was fast-tracked into a voting session after being presented by the governing coalition on 7 January.

According to the plan, four of the 14 mines owned by state-controlled Kompania Weglowa will be liquidated. The government says that these mines alone generate as much as 80 percent of the company's losses – which have been assessed as amounting to PLN 200 million a month.

According to experts, if the restructuring plan is not implemented immediately, the company will be forced to declare bankruptcy.

Up in arms

As news was gathering Thursday evening that the bill was gaining traction in the Sejm, union leaders decided to expand the strike to all 14 mines within the company, as well as those owned by miner Jastrzebska Spolka Weglowa. Over 3,000 miners are taking part in the protest.

“Following the morning shift in the Budryk mine in Ornontowice, all the miners remained underground,” the Solidarity trade union said, adding that these protest are not meant to halt production but merely to slow down the mine. Various shifts of workers will stay underground after clock out, until they are replaced by the next, delayed, shift.

One closed-door meeting between unions and Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz on Monday ended in a stalemate. (rg)

Source: IAR, TVN24