The “Bolesławiec” Ceramic Works were inspected twice by the National Labour Inspectorate. Both inspections revealed irregularities concerning labour law, remuneration, the employment of young workers and the management of the social benefits fund. What is more, the company remains silent. Both the management board president Arkadiusz Grzesikowski, and management board member Wojciech Huczyński ignored our questions and are not communicating with the largest portal in Bolesławiec.
Residents’ interest in the subject is enormous—the earlier article we published on the topic, “Protest at Bolesławiec’s oldest ceramic works”, received more than 37,000 views.
What did the National Labour Inspectorate establish?
Information provided by senior inspector Marek Choczaj shows that two inspections were carried out at the “Bolesławiec” Ceramic Works—in September 2024 and March 2025. The activities concerned, among other things:
- irregularities in calculating and paying remuneration, including in relation to the Company Collective Labour Agreement,
- irregularities in employing young workers,
- incorrect calculation of the allowance supplementing the minimum wage,
- incorrect provisions in the regulations of the Company Social Benefits Fund.
All irregularities were addressed through the legal measures available to labour inspectors.
The company avoids answering
Despite attempts by the istotne.pl editorial team to make contact, ZC Bolesławiec did not answer any of our questions, which concerned important social and labour issues:
- Was an agreement reached with the trade unions?
- Do the company’s authorities plan to introduce clear remuneration rules?
- Is the division between piece-rate and hourly workers discriminatory?
- Are piece-rate workers’ wages understated?
- What action is the company taking to resolve the conflict?
The complete lack of response from president Arkadiusz Grzesikowski and management board member Wojciech Huczyński shows disregard for public opinion and for the people who followed the story.
What next?
The trade union members are not giving up, and the matter may continue—not only in the media but also in courtrooms. Residents’ interest and social pressure may force the ZC Bolesławiec management board to speak out. The only question is: is it already too late?
Update 13:28
We received the company’s statement only after this article was published:
Statement of the Management Board of Zakłady Ceramiczne “Bolesławiec” w Bolesławcu Sp. z o.o. concerning the protest organised on 25 July 2025 by the Trade Unions of Employees of Zakłady Ceramiczne “Bolesławiec” Sp. z o.o.
The Company’s Management Board would primarily like to point out that termination of the Company Collective Labour Agreement, concluded on 9 February 1995, was initiated by the Company’s previous Management Board, and this was already the third attempt to terminate the Agreement in the last eight years.
The current Management Board continued negotiations with the Trade Union side, conducting an extensive, months-long social dialogue concerning termination of the Company Collective Labour Agreement and the introduction of remuneration regulations, which ended without an agreement. Consequently, it became necessary to introduce new and uniform remuneration rules for employees covered by individual employment contracts.
Following consultations between the Employer and the Trade Union side, an agreement was reached on the procedure for collective notices of termination and agreements changing the remuneration conditions of employees of Zakłady Ceramiczne “BOLESŁAWIEC” w Bolesławcu Sp. z o.o.; it was approved and signed on 14 May 2025 by the Trade Unions operating at the Works.
Immediately after the negotiation process with the Trade Union side ended, the Company’s Management Board began an information campaign on the employees’ new remuneration conditions, personally visiting the individual departments.
Therefore, in view of the facts cited above, the decision to organise a protest by the Trade Union of Employees of Zakłady Ceramiczne “Bolesławiec”, led by Agata Rusiecka, should be considered significantly belated, but also completely incomprehensible in light of the agreement reached.
As anticipated, employees of Zakłady Ceramiczne “BOLESŁAWIEC” w Bolesławcu Sp. z o.o. showed no interest in the protest organised by Agata Rusiecka, chairwoman of the Trade Union of Employees of Zakłady Ceramiczne “BOLESŁAWIEC” Sp. z o.o. The second union operating at Zakłady Ceramiczne “BOLESŁAWIEC” Sp. z o.o., NSZZ “Solidarność”, also did not join Chairwoman Rusiecka’s protest.
Approximately 5% of the workforce—just over 20 people—who took part in the protest were largely trade union activists and people who were not employees of our Company.
Nevertheless, the Company’s Management Board hopes for constructive cooperation with the Trade Union side in the future.