"Silesia cannot die." Thousands of trade unionists protest against the collapse of the industry.

• - Our next actions will force the government to take action, make further concessions - to take seriously what is happening in Silesia, because it is not only a matter of mining and metallurgy at the moment - says Bogusław Ziętek, chairman of August '80.
• "The social contract contains an entire chapter devoted to the role of local governments. Unfortunately, since its signing, local authorities have been operating in isolation from a common strategy. This is a road to nowhere," emphasizes Dominik Kolorz, chairman of the Silesian-Dąbrowa Solidarity trade union.

• Important demands included: blocking steel imports from Ukraine and China, revising the EU ETS system and abandoning the so-called ETS2, introducing customs duties and quotas to protect energy-intensive industries, and reconsidering the decision to ban the sale of combustion cars after 2035.

A Star-Spangled March has taken place in defense of industry and jobs in Silesia and the Dąbrowa Basin. Representatives of all organizations associated with the Inter-Union Protest and Strike Committee of the Silesian-Dąbrowa Region, which has been reactivated after a five-year hiatus, are participating in the demonstration.

Three union marches set off at approximately 3:30 p.m. – from Załęże, Kościuszko Park, and Spodek Arena – to the Silesian Voivodeship Office, where they will meet for a 1.5-hour demonstration around 5:00 p.m. The march routes include routes through the very center of Katowice, causing numerous disruptions .

Sections of streets are being closed. Tram traffic through Katowice's market square has been suspended since 2:30 p.m.: some lines have been suspended, while others have been diverted. Nearly 60 bus routes have also been rerouted. Traffic disruptions are expected until the evening.

The first to arrive at Silesian Parliament Square, near the city hall, where the demonstration is underway, was a column led from Kościuszko Park by the Kadra, Sierpień 80, and OPZZ trade unions. The area in this part of the city is secured by, among others, a mounted police unit.

When asked about opposition to the Green Deal, August 80 leader Bogusław Ziętek described it as a "criminal ideology." "It's not actually saving the Earth; it's only killing off European societies and the European economy. One square meter of conventional energy produces exactly the same amount of energy as a thousand square meters of wind farms. So what do we want—cutting down forests, taking away farmers' fields to create wind farms (...)?" he argues.

"Silesia cannot die" - appeal trade unionists

"Regardless of political affiliation, we all united together. This shows how serious the situation is," says Dominik Kolorz , chairman of the Silesian-Dąbrowa Solidarity trade union.

"Those in power only react when a tsunami arrives," Bogusław Ziętek , chairman of August '80 and one of the march's leaders, told WNP. He points out that thanks to earlier protests , Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (Jastrzębska Coal Company) was included in the Mining Act. But the action doesn't stop there.

"Thanks to the protests that were held, we included Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa in the act, which at least partially secured funds for miners' leave, one-time severance pay, and processing leave. Our subsequent actions will force the government to take further action, make further concessions—to take seriously what's happening in Silesia, because it's not just a matter of mining and steelmaking right now. These are also other industries in trouble, such as the automotive, transportation, and coking industries," Ziętek enumerates.

Unionists emphasize that despite organizational and industry differences, they share a common goal: defending jobs and the region's future. As Kolorz points out, Silesia and Zagłębie are currently facing a deep industrial crisis.

More and more jobs are disappearing in the automotive industry, and the Polish steel industry is losing ground to the flood of imported steel from China and Ukraine. The social contract regarding the transformation of the mining industry is not being implemented. The situation of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa is dire, and the coking industry is at risk of losing financial liquidity, the Solidarity leader explains.

Demands of trade unionists fighting for industry and mining

During the march, demands were made to the government and EU institutions. Trade unionists are demanding, among other things, full implementation of the provisions of the social contract regarding the transformation of the region, recognition of coal as a transition fuel, and commencement of the investments stipulated in the document.

Important demands also included:

• blocking steel imports from Ukraine and China,
• revision of the EU ETS system and abandonment of the so-called ETS2,
• introducing tariffs and quotas to protect energy-intensive industries,
• reconsidering the decision to ban the sale of combustion cars from 2035.

We don't want prohibitions and mandates. We want a normal market where people have choices, says Kolorz.

One of the main demands of the trade unionists demonstrating in Katowice is greater involvement of local governments in the process of economic transformation.

"The social contract includes an entire chapter devoted to the role of local governments. Unfortunately, since its signing, local authorities have operated in isolation from a common strategy. This is a road to nowhere," Kolorz emphasizes.

According to trade unionists, better coordination of local government activities by the metropolitan and voivodeship authorities is necessary so that the resources from the transformation funds actually support the creation of new, stable jobs and are not – as Dominik Kolorz says – wasted.

- This money today is not used to create new jobs, it is rather directed towards - let me put it bluntly - waste, and this should absolutely not happen - he adds.