Polish unions protest Green Deal costs and demand higher wages in strikes

On 20 May, the NSZZ Solidarność trade union held a march in Warsaw, beginning at Castle Square and ending at the Sejm, to back President Karol Nawrocki’s call for a national referendum on the European Green Deal. Union representative Alfred Bujara warned that the Green Deal would raise energy, rent, fuel and food prices, hurt retail turnover and increase unemployment, urging workers and consumers to consider the hidden costs.

At the same time, workers at three plants of an international mining‑materials producer in Polkowice, Truskolasy and Siemianowice Śląskie launched an indefinite strike, halting production. Around 277 employees are demanding a 12 % wage increase and a 100 % annual bonus for 2025, while the employer has offered a 3.4 % raise and a 50‑60 % bonus. The strike highlights broader wage and labor‑rights concerns in Poland’s manufacturing sector.