Arkadiusz Grzesiowski, president of Zakłady Ceramiczne „Bolesławiec” (ZCB), dismissed an employee with 36 years of service, Adrian (name changed), and sued him for damaging the company’s good name, demanding an apology and PLN 25,000.

Another employee, Dagmara (name changed), who worked at the company for more than 30 years, is to pay PLN 40,000 for social causes and apologize not only to President Grzesikowski, but also to board member Huczyński, for her critical statements about ZCB’s management.

Employees at the Zakłady are generally afraid to speak out, but when they do, they claim that the new president follows the principle: “At my company, an employee gets one life.”

Fired on the spot

In his post on a popular social media site, Adrian used no profanity and addressed two issues: how the president treats people employed at ZCB and what qualifications he has to run a ceramics company.

“My colleague simply expressed his opinion online, and after 36 years the president threw him out on the spot because he criticized the management,” comments a retired Zakłady employee.

In July 2025, ZCB employees went on strike. The dispute concerned differences in the treatment of employees working on hourly and piece-rate systems. Emotions were still running high when, in August, the president published a statement on social media boasting that the management’s actions had led to a significant increase in ceramics purchases.

Adrian commented on that very statement. He critically questioned whether the sales would affect wages, which he considered too low, and added that the way the president treated people would mean that only the teddy-bear mascot on the president’s desk—visible in the photo accompanying the president’s post—would now want to be friends with him.

Less than a month after the post, Adrian received notice of termination. The reason? Loss of trust resulting from a negative statement and public criticism of the management on social media. On the same day as the termination notice, Adrian also received a demand to remove the effects of an infringement of personal rights, together with a demand for compensation. He was to refrain from all criticism, apologize, publish the apology on a social media portal, and pay PLN 5,000 to an orphanage. He was given seven days to do so.

The dismissed man, shocked by losing his job, did not have PLN 5,000 to donate to an orphanage, but he wanted to apologize. “I wanted to meet with the president, talk and settle the matter, but he couldn’t find time for me,” says Adrian.

Interference with freedom of expression

In October, Adrian received a civil lawsuit from Arkadiusz Grzesikowski. In addition to publishing an apology, Grzesikowski was now demanding PLN 25,000 for himself as compensation.

“The claims pursued in the lawsuit should be considered completely disproportionate,” says legal adviser Marcin Pawelec-Jakowiecki. “It should be pointed out that the nature of the potential infringement of personal rights, as well as its form, do not indicate the need to pursue such a high amount as compensation for the harm suffered. Moreover, the fact that the claimant demands publication of statements in two spaces while simultaneously seeking an injunction against further violations should be considered an excessively far-reaching interference with freedom of expression. Such conduct—arising from a lawsuit brought by a public figure, who must have thicker skin and also be more resistant to criticism—may be described as potential strategic legal action aimed at suppressing public debate, namely a SLAPP,” the lawyer adds. Pawelec-Jakowiecki.

One life for a Zakłady employee

Employees who spoke to an istotne.pl journalist describe the president’s actions, which they observe every day at ZCB.

“You know, if he comes to the painting department and says that if they leave the unions, they will be better off, that he will launch the holiday fund and take care of the matter so the employees receive money—well, obviously, when he goes around carrying twenty declarations of resignation from the unions, people leave…” says an employee.

“Isn’t he forbidden from doing something like that?” the journalist asks.

“He can do anything,” the woman replies resignedly. “If I tell you how an ordinary employee is normally dismissed at ZCB, the union chair is called to the secretariat and receives the letter there, acknowledging its receipt. But when the dismissal concerns the management more personally, Mr. Huczyński takes the letter and personally hands it to the dismissed person in the presence of other employees. In other words, he shows and demonstrates: see what I’ll do to him! And the termination notice doesn’t contain the standard three sentences explaining the reason for dismissal. That notice already runs to two pages. You can simply see which is an ordinary dismissal, for whatever reason, and which is an emotional dismissal,” the employee adds.

We have not yet confirmed employees’ accounts of being encouraged to leave the unions. However, we examined Adrian’s termination notice, issued because of his post. The justification is indeed two pages long. In addition to a detailed description of the reason for dismissal, it presents the entire history of the employee’s post, published in August 2025, and an interpretation of that post in the context of the damage it allegedly caused to the management and its broadly understood interests.

Reading the justification for terminating the contract of what was, after all, an ordinary employee could lead to the mistaken conclusion that he was a key employee responsible for shaping the company’s image policy, as well as someone with enough influence to shake the company’s foundations.

A cup for an American woman, but not for those who built the Zakłady

The president’s way of communicating with employees outrages people who have worked at the company for decades

“It used to be customary for employees who retired that year to meet with the management, and the president would thank them for their work,” says an employee. “Over a small reception, he would present them with a set of ceramic tea dishes. Mr. Grzesikowski discontinued that tradition. That is how he shows respect for the hard work of the people who built this company. He has more empathy for Ms. Rita, who lives in the United States and whose house burned down, leaving only a ceramic cup. He gave her an entire ceramic set,” the employee adds bitterly.

Beneficiary

Zakłady Ceramiczne „Bolesławiec” is a company owned by the State Treasury. Its presidents are people selected by the party that currently has the greatest political influence in Poland. Since autumn 2024, the company has once again been headed by a nominee of Koalicja Obywatelska, namely Arkadiusz Grzesikowski. Previously, the company was headed by nominees of Prawo i Sprawiedliwość: Sebastian Fijałkowski and Wiesław Ogrodnik, who took the position immediately after PiS won, replacing Karol Stasik of Platforma Obywatelska.

Arkadiusz Grzesikowski had been employed at ZCB since 2019, but before that he had provided services to the Zakłady for many years as the owner of an IT company. People closely associated with KO in Bolesławiec say that his candidacy was strongly promoted by Robert Kropiwnicki, who in 2024 served as secretary of state at the Ministry of State Assets.

As a ZCB employee, Grzesikowski was responsible, among other things, for editing the company’s Public Information Bulletin and IT matters, including implementing an ERP system (software for comprehensive management of company processes within a single database—editor’s note).

“The ERP system, which still has not been implemented across the entire production operation, was Mr. Grzesikowski’s responsibility,” says one company employee. “As recently as a year ago (in 2025—editor’s note), during negotiations on the collective agreement, the president assured us that everything would be implemented soon. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been,” the employee adds.

Success is a must

2024 was a disastrous year for the company. The authorities changed, and so did the presidents at the Zakłady. Although the company avoided losses, its financial result for 2024 was barely profitable. There were problems with exports, quality and employment. Zakłady Ceramiczne „Bolesławiec” ended 2024 with a symbolic net profit of just PLN 67,000.

The new president wanted to prove himself. 2025 was supposed to be his year of success. However, a conflict with employees began. The conflict was so intense that it ended in a demonstration less than a year after Grzesikowski became president. Tensions related to the implementation of new pay systems and the need to consult them with employee representatives became apparent.

Agata Rusiecka, chair of the Trade Union of Employees of Zakłady Ceramiczne „Bolesławiec,” Agata Rusiecka, emphasized in July 2025 that all matters concerning pay should be agreed with the trade unions. In her view, dialogue with the management was lacking in this case, which led to an escalation of the conflict and the organization of the demonstration.

Party colleagues do not comment

Arkadiusz Grzesikowski is not a longtime activist of Donald Tusk’s party. His career nevertheless accelerated after he ran in the 2024 local elections from the Koalicja Obywatelska list. Although just over 60 people voted for him in Bolesławiec and he did not win a seat on the County Council, he won the competition for president of the oldest ceramics company in Bolesławiec.

On his social media profile, Grzesikowski promotes Michał Jaros. In January 2026, Jaros visited the Zakłady and praised the company on his social media:

Zakłady Ceramiczne „Bolesławiec” is one of the best things Lower Silesia can boast about. It represents quality, craftsmanship and people who have been building a globally recognized brand for years.

Michał Jaros

Karol Stasik, chair of Platforma Obywatelska in Bolesławiec County, does not want to officially comment at all on the situation involving the sued ZCB employee—although the tone of his statements suggests that he is not an ally of Grzesikowski.

Grzegorz Przybylski, a KO candidate for president, gave an evasive answer when officially asked for his opinion on the actions of his party colleague. “The internal arrangements of Platforma, now Koalicja Obywatelska, are that the county head, Karol Stasik, speaks first,” wrote Grzegorz Przybylski. “I am an ordinary member; I am not on the county or city board. I do not know the issue involving the company, because we do not discuss professional matters,” he added.

Perhaps it will be easier for his colleagues to comment on the matter after the article is published?!

Comment from the president of Zakłady Ceramiczne „Bolesławiec”

We asked President Arkadiusz Grzesikowski for comment. Below is his full response to the question of whether the lawsuit in which Arkadiusz Grzesikowski demands PLN 25,000 from a former ZCB employee was intended as a scare tactic, that is, a tool to chill criticism by other company employees.

In response to the questions sent, I respectfully point to the following circumstances.

First and foremost, I emphatically stress that linking any employment-related events with statements that violate the law is unjustified and has no connection with the subject of the case. I also note that the author of the post declared that he was willing to apologize, which confirms that he recognizes the problematic nature of his statement.

As the person serving as President of the Management Board of Zakłady Ceramiczne „BOLESŁAWIEC” Sp. z o.o., I am obliged to take action in response to all kinds of situations that may infringe personal rights, particularly honor, good name and personal dignity.

The lawsuit is not and never was a “tool to chill criticism” or a “scare tactic” against employees or any other people. Everyone has the right to express opinions and engage in constructive criticism. However, the law is the boundary of this freedom—particularly the prohibition on disseminating false, unfounded and defamatory claims. When personal rights are violated, every person—regardless of their position—has a constitutionally and statutorily guaranteed right to protect them through civil or criminal proceedings.

I also stress that all reorganization processes and management decisions at the Company are made in accordance with applicable law and in the interest of the Company and its further development.

Attempts to present the matter about which the journalist asked as action directed against any group are an unjustified overinterpretation.

Yours sincerely,

Arkadiusz Grzesikowski, CEO/President of the Management Board

The names of the people featured in our report were changed at their request.