Mine strike burgeons

Strikes in Polish mines are expanding. In four mines about 1,300 people have been protesting so far, Puls Biznesu daily reported. "This is a constantly changing number. Some people give up on the strike, some join it," the president of Mining Solidarity Jarosław Grzesik informed. Some part of administration and processing plant staff joined the miners. The general strike of the Silesia-Dąbrowa region is to start on Monday. However, labor unions did not give any details. Labor unions declared their openness to talks with the government. Additionally, they want to meet with the authorities somewhere in Silesia, not in Warsaw. No government official has contacted the protesters so far, according to Grzesik. "We feel as though we have been fooled ... Prime Minister Kopacz had promised us a different way of treating us this time, but it is like always," Grzesik complained. Under the government plan four mines belonging to Kompania Węglowa are to be closed, 6,000 employees are to be transferred and around 5,200 people will lose their jobs. The government's plenipotentiary for the mining industry restructuring process, Wojciech Kolwaczyk assured the public that the authorities along with the labor unions are concerned about saving as many jobs as is possible at Kompania Węglowa TVN24 reported. The briefing took place after the meeting of the Prime Minister with Ministers of the Treasury and Labor held on Friday afternoon.