PKP Cargo, 1 of the largest railway companies in Poland, is preparing another wave of collective redundancies that may even affect 2 429 people. This is the second specified phase of employment simplification in the course of the year – at the beginning of 2025 jobs lost 3 665 employees. In this hard situation, the company decided to defend selected groups of employees, which is intended to mitigate the effects of restructuring and increase the chances of maintaining work for the most susceptible people.
Scale and context of exemptions
PKP Cargo, presently employing around 10,000 people, has been in restructuring proceedings since July 2024. The planned exemptions are spread over 2 years: around 1 041 people are to leave in 2025and another 1,388 in 2026. In total, this represents almost 25% simplification in employment since the start of the restructuring process.
Decisions on the final number of exemptions are to be taken following negotiations with trade unions scheduled for the coming week. It is their consequence that will find the actual scale of cuts.
Who will be protected from dismissals?
He explained Tomasz Pietrek, Vice-President of the Railway Engineers' Professional Union and a typical of staff on the supervisory board of PKP Cargo, the company introduced safeguards for the most susceptible groups of employees. Release shall not include:
- Pregnant women
- Single parents of minors
- Workers raising disabled children
- Parents over 16 with crucial disability
- People in a peculiar wellness situation requiring intensive treatment
This form of protection demonstrates the approach of the company, which seeks to take account of social and wellness aspects, minimising the negative effects of redundancies.
Revocation anticipation and mitigation mechanisms
The fresh exemption rules supply that any staff associate who receives a decision to dismiss shall have the right to individual appeal within 5 days of service of the letter. specified a procedure gives an chance to reconsider the case and possibly avoid failure of work.
In addition, the company is considering suspending part of the collective labour agreement, which aims to reduction of exemptions. The Management Board besides stressed the readiness to reduction of own salaries in case of wage cuts among employees, which shows a willingness to share the burden of restructuring.
The importance of restructuring for the marketplace and workers
PKP Cargo plays a key function in the Polish rail sector, serving a crucial part of freight transport. Restructuring is so a process of broad economical importance which aims to improve the company's financial efficiency and stability. However, this requires hard staff decisions that straight affect employees.
The simplification in employment on this scale has possible social consequences, and it is so crucial to scope compromises between the board of directors and trade unions that can mitigate the effects of redundancies.
Perspectives and negotiations with trade unions
Negotiations between the PKP Cargo board and trade union representatives scheduled for the next week will be crucial to establishing the final number of people who will lose their jobs. Given the proposals to defend selected groups and the anticipation of appeals, it can be expected that final exemptions may be little severe than expected.
However, this process will require balancing the company's economical interests and the needs of its employees.
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PKP Cargo announces group release. Nearly 2.5 1000 workers will lose their jobs
