Miners strike over closure plans

By Adam Easton
BBC, Warsaw

Thousands of Polish coal-miners have gone on strike in a protest against government plans to close four pits.

Trade union leaders say the 24-hour stoppage could be followed by a general strike unless a compromise is reached.

The government wants to restructure the loss-making industry before the country joins the European Union next May.

Under the plan 8,500 miners will lose their jobs in a region which already has 30% unemployment - much higher than the national average.

Miners have held a series of strikes in the region

Instead of going underground on Monday, miners held rallies or changing-room sit-ins at the pits in the southern region of Silesia.

Union leaders hope the 24-hour stoppage will persuade the government to change its plans to shut down four pits in the area next year.

Miners want the collieries to be merged, or only partially closed.

They are also sceptical that the government will deliver on its promise to retrain and rehire miners for other jobs.

Despite rioting by angry miners during a march in Warsaw in September, the government does not appear to be backing down.

Poland's parliament has adopted the government's plan to reform the industry. The restructuring will shed 25,000 of the sector's 140,000 jobs and write-off most of the industry's $4.5bn debt by 2006.

Making its coal-mines more efficient is part of Poland's plan to cut spending and lower its budget deficit before it joins the European Union next May.

But the austerity measures are proving deeply unpopular in a country which is still adjusting to market reforms 14 years after the collapse of communism.