Workers call for end to coal dispute in hopes of receiving wages by Christmas

More than 400 former employees of Elblag-based Haleks, the largest importer of coal to Poland prior to1999, are calling on the Central Customs Office (GUC) to give back to the company about 20,000 tonnes of coal the authorities seized from Haleks in 1999. The former employees are interested in Haleks gaining possession of the coal so it can sell it and, from the proceeds, pay out overdue wages totalling some zl.6 million, hopefully before Christmas. The entire incident took place when in 1999 the Biala Podlaska Customs Office seized 350 freight cars of coal owned by Haleks, as the latter had exceeded coal import quotas set by the Economy Ministry. At the time, Haleks disputed the Customs Office's decision to take possession of the coal and brought its case to court. In the fall of this year, the Superior Administrative Court (NSA) ruled in favor of Haleks. However, GUC has thus far refused to return the coal and now says it will likely appeal the NSA's decision to the Supreme Court. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B4)