Polish Coal Giant JSW to Cut 4,200 Jobs as Industry Struggles
Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW), one of Poland's largest coal miners and the EU's top coking coal producer, announced plans to eliminate 4,248 jobs (21% of its workforce) by the end of 2026 amid falling coal prices and heavy losses.
On Wednesday, JSW's management board announced that it expected the size of its workforce to decline by 4,248 by the end of this year, bringing it below 16,000, down from 20,135 at the end of March. "We anticipate that approximately 2,200 people will leave in the third quarter, and about 1,400 in the fourth quarter," according to the firm's CEO, Bogusław Oleksy.
A Sector in Transition
Last year, Poland introduced a new law making it easier for coal companies to close mines and reduce their workforce, providing for large severance payments and other measures intended to soften the blow for those who lose their jobs. Polish coal is among the most expensive in the world to extract, and the industry survives largely due to heavy public subsidies; in 2026, the state is expected to spend 5.5 billion zloty propping up the sector, after an outlay of 9 billion zloty last year.
Between 2015 and 2024, the proportion of households using hard coal for heating fell from 40% to 17%, while those using natural gas doubled from 10% to 21%.
If you live in Poland's coal-mining regions (Silesia, Lublin area) or work in related supply industries, this signals ongoing structural contraction. Monitor local employment services for retraining programs; displaced miners have some legal protections and severance options, but job prospects depend on region and skill transferability.
Sources
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