Polish unions warn of ZUS strike demanding 1,200 zł pay rise

The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) in Poland is embroiled in a wage dispute. Unions representing ZUS staff are demanding a 1,200 zł increase to base salaries, while the employer has offered only a 200 zł raise plus one‑time bonuses of 3,400 zł. After failed negotiations involving the Ministries of Finance and Family, Labour and Social Policy, the unions announced a warning strike slated for 17 June 2026, with a further round of talks scheduled for 2 June.

Separately, three major trade‑union confederations (NSZZ Solidarność, Forum Związków Zawodowych, and the Polish Confederation of Trade Unions) submitted a joint proposal to raise the statutory minimum wage for 2027 by at least 394 zł, bringing it to 5,200 zł (an 8.2% increase). The proposal also calls for a minimum 15% wage rise in the public sector and at least an 11% increase in the private sector, alongside higher pension and disability benefit indexation.

Both initiatives reflect broader union pressure for significant wage growth across the Polish labour market.