Strike could cripple Europe's largest coal producer

122,000 company employees will carry out a referendum this morning concerning the planned protests, which could prove to be a shot in the back for Europe's largest coal company. According to trade union head Dominik Kolorz, most of the workers will act in favor of the strike. "Protests will negatively influence the company's financial situation," said Artur Kosinski, deputy president of KW. "We estimate that two days of protests will results with losses of zl.90 million, which is more than for the whole of 2006. We might be forced to announce bankruptcy." Deputy economy minister Pawel Poncyljusz supports this appraisal, stressing that an irresponsible union decision might further complicate the company's difficult situation. "Kompania Weglowa already fulfills the conditions of bankruptcy. Talking of losses, which will take place as a result of protests is schizophrenic," said Kolorz. "One has to assess how it was managed over the last 12 months." (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 6) M.M.