Nearly 2,500 employees of Polska Grupa Górnicza (PGG) have already used transitional benefits under the coal mining social safety net. By the end of June 2026, 706 workers received one-off cash severances and 1,754 went on so-called mining leaves, the company reported.
The departures are part of a broader workforce reduction plan grounded in the amended Domestic Hard Coal Mining Act and the Social Agreement for the mining sector. PGG has been processing applications systematically, verifying worker eligibility and enabling exits without disrupting operations at its collieries.
According to the company, the 2026 target is to cut total employment by 4,300 people. Of those, around 3,600 will be covered by employee departure programmes, while the remainder will retire naturally.
Programme anchored in law and social pact
The legal framework allows workers who meet specific statutory conditions to apply for one-off cash payments or extended mining leaves. Both instruments are designed to ease the transition out of the industry for those close to retirement or willing to leave earlier.
– The whole process requires close coordination between HR departments, individual mines and work organisation units to ensure that departures proceed smoothly and do not affect production continuity – said a PGG spokesperson.
Largest coal producer facing structured downsizing
PGG remains Poland’s biggest hard coal producer, supplying mainly domestic power plants and heating plants. The gradual reduction in headcount reflects the long-term strategy of adjusting output to falling coal demand and the country’s energy transition.
The company has stressed that it will maintain operational stability while implementing the departures. Each exit is planned with replacement or reorganisation of work crews to keep collieries running safely and efficiently.
The data from the first half of 2026 shows that the number of workers opting for the available packages is growing, confirming that the programme is being taken up at a steady pace.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Materiały prasowe / PGG
