In May 2006, trade unions of miners demanded additional payments. So did unions at Kompania Weglowa (KW) employing 68,000 people. KW had already problems although it still generated income. Miners said they would protest in Warsaw and the government headed then by Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, gave in. Miners got PLN 750 each. It cost KW PLN 49m. The problem is that the Superior Chamber of Control (NIK) decided that KW should not get the funds. The group has been receiving public subsidies for many years and it could not exceed the level of 3.5 percent wage increase in 2006. With the bonuses, it broke the law.
“In case the wage index is exceeded, the subsidy should be paid back along with the interest”, Edmund Sroka from NIK explained.
NIK estimates that KW should pay back PLN 179.4m. NIK is going to let the new government know about the problem.
“KW refused to pay back the subsidy because it would lose liquidity, endanger its further operations and result in a loss of jobs”, Iwona Zeman from NIK said.
The ministry of economy decided not to make KW management pay back the subsidy.
(PLN 1 = EUR 0.271)