Wednesday 24 September 2014

Another coal mine faces financial difficulties

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24 miners , working for Kazimierz-Juliusz mine in Sosnowiec ( which is intended to be closed ), did not come out to the surface on September 24,2014, demanding dialogue with the management on the critical financial situation of the company. The mine is going to be closed at the turn of September and October and its situation brought miners into difficulties related not only to the financial matters but also living conditions. 

"The miners did not leave mine after a night shift. They say explicitly that they have nowhere else to go. Company apartments in which they live, are covered ( by no fault of miners) with execution bailiff. The situation is as dramatic, that miners might soon lose houses "- said Stefan Kasiński, the head of labor union functioning in Katowice Coal Holding (KHW) which operates Kazimierz-Juliusz mine.

Miners were already manifesting last week in Sosnowiec and Katowice. They demanded the extension of the mine operation and in case it was impossible - written guarantee of employment in other establishments of KHW. They also want to regulate the housing arrangements. According to the labor union “August 80”, their protests are also preparing the wives of miners and residents of housing site. "Desperate women are deprived of livelihood. Their husbands do not get salaries, so families are not having money to live. (…) They are afraid that before they will need to live on the street” – said the spokesperson of the union.
 
The future of the miners of Kazimierz-Juliusz  has been discussed in recent days in the Silesian Voivodship Office. After the last Monday's meeting, the Voivode Piotr Litwa announced that it will be necessary to involve Minister of Economy in the decision making which is planned to take place next week.
 

Difficult situation of many coal mines in Poland is caused by the change on Polish energy market. In the past, Poland was highly dependent on coal and consequently, coal miner was very popular and financially satisfying profession, offering good salaries and pension package. Over time, especially after Poland joined EU ( therefore accepted the environmental protection limits) coal losts its popularity. The sudden emerge of RES also contributed to the diversification of power mix, causing lowering electricity prices and development of different energy saving technologies. The overall change caused many mines to not be profitable anymore and forced the management to consider closing. For many years, coal mining was one of the strongest branches of industry in Poland, causing the need of the involvement of the government in case of financial difficulties.
 
 
 
Based on:
http://biznes.onet.pl/podziemny-protest-w-kopalni-kazimierz-juliusz,18567,5658482,1,news-detal
Picture:
Mine Kazimierz-Juliusz, picture taken in 2011:
http://bi.gazeta.pl/im/22/55/c1/z12670242Q,Kopalnia-Kazimierz-Juliusz--zdjecie-z-2011-roku-.jpg

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