Przedsiębiorstwo Górnicze Silesia has decided to suspend the process of group layoffs. The previously planned reduction in employment in the company owned by the Czech investor was to cover 250 employees of the mine.
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The reason is support for potential investors who would take over the mine, the company’s representatives said on Thursday.
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PG Silesia is the largest of the three private hard coal mines in Poland. Like other mining plants, it has been hit by the crisis, compounded by the coronavirus pandemic. Power plants and heating plants which receive coal from mines have reduced the amount of coal received, because their contractors – mainly industrial plants – need less energy.
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“This is a signal for potential investors”
At the beginning of August, the management board of Silesia began consultations with trade unionists, announcing the intention to dismiss 250 people from the 1.7 thousand employees. It was supposed to take place by the end of March next year. On Thursday, representatives of PG Silesia announced the completion of consultations with the social side and the suspension of plans for group layoffs. “The intention of this decision is to support potential investors who would take over the mine” – they indicated.
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– Maintaining the necessary level of employment is a signal for potential investors who, by taking over the mine, will be able to count on its efficient acquisition and smooth continuation of operating activities. This is our next investment in the future of PG Silesia – said the president of PG Silesia Jan Marinov, quoted in the announcement.
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– Until the end of the year, we will be closely monitoring the situation and then we will make further decisions within the adopted short-term plan – he added.
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April 30 this year. the owner of the mine assured of further financial support from PG Silesia until the end of 2021, provided that the salaries of all employees were reduced by 10 percent. On May 20, an agreement was reached in which the trade unionists agreed to cut miners’ salaries.
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At the same time – as the company reminds – intensive work is underway to find a new investor for the mine. In May, the company’s management announced the possibility of transferring shares to minority shareholders or the State Treasury. The Ministry of State Assets also received an offer to transfer the mine for a symbolic amount.
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PG Silesia employs approx. 1.7 thousand. people and uses the services of external companies that employ another 450 people. In recent years, the mine produced approximately 1.4-1.7 million tonnes of steam coal annually. This year’s production is currently unpredictable due to perturbations related to the COVID-19 epidemic.
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