In connection with its contents, the accusations, slanders and lies pertaining to both representatives of the JSW S.A. Management Board and its Employees, the Company’s governing bodies once again urge the following representatives of JSW’s Representative Trade Union Organizations:  Mr. Sławomir Kozłowski and Mr. Roman Brudziński, quoted in the article, to immediately stop the harassment and defamation of the good name of JSW S.A.’s Management Board and Employees, and the threats of groundless strikes and actions to the detriment of the Company’s image.

The insinuations, insults and hurting lies contained in the article, like the ones contained in the following fragments of the statements of the aforementioned trade unionists:

“(...) The activists emphasized in the letter to the head of the state that the company celebrates 28 years of its existence and trade unionists have never experienced such “disgraceful treatment of employees” and “the use of communist methods of persecuting Solidarity as they do now (...),

or:

“(...) the presidents of State Treasury companies appointed by Law and Justice use communist security service methods. They humiliate our employees and us! They intimidate our employees.”

are an expression of lack of respect for the truth, for the Company and its Employees, and lack of consideration for the Office of the Head of the State. It is the absence of understanding of and support for the fact that the maintenance of jobs and wages depends to the largest extent on the economic standing of the whole Group and the climate created around it.

JSW is a stock exchange-listed company and the largest European producer of coking coal – a commodity classified as having a critical, and therefore strategic, significance for the European Union. In the current circumstances, it has a tangible opportunity to tap into its market potential.

The changes being made and the savings being sought are necessary. Yet there is no threat today to our employees’ wages or jobs. Considering Employees as the company’s greatest value, the JSW Management Board extended the employment guarantee by 10 years, not only by 5 years, according to the demands of the unionists quoted in article. It also made a decision to increase the salaries by 3.4% as of the end of July 2021, investing in Employees and rewarding them for their daily toil. In communication with the trade union organizations active in JSW, the Board also wants to implement permanent payroll policy solutions in the years to come.

The President of the JSW Management Board introduced new quality in the contacts with the Employees, maintaining constant direct contact with them, organizing meetings, sending letters, maintaining video communication, and sending text messages in important matters and posting messages in the Company’s internal Employee Portal.

In addition, a regular chat of the JSW Management Board members with the Employees is being prepared and other communication solutions are prepared as needed.

In addition, for the first time in many years, new quality was introduced also in contacts with the trade unions. Regular meetings with only three Representative Trade Union Organizations is not enough, so on 5 May 2021, on the initiative of JSW S.A.’s CEO Barbara Piontek, the first meeting of the JSW S.A. Management Board with a broad group was held to which all 65 trade union organizations active in the Company were invited. Such new meetings with full representation of JSW S.A. employees will be held online once a month, which was received with enthusiasm and support from the trade unions active in JSW. The parties set the date of the next meeting for 7 June 2021.

The JSW S.A. Management Board jointly, and each Management Board member separately, once again expressed their readiness to conduct social dialogue and emphasized its significance. Also, a special e-mail address was launched and the Management Board members declared to set aside in their diaries the so-called “open days” for the trade unions representing all Company employees.

What matters today is the company’s stable development, which may be attained through improvements in organizational, technological, production and commercial efficiency, opening up to global opportunities, looking for new potential, caring for business partners and, above all, for our employees as the company’s most important asset.

We want JSW to be a strong Polish brand caring for employee safety and a high quality of work, appreciating human resources and the values, spirit and energy displayed by JSW employees.

The JSW Management Board urges all Trade Unions to take responsible action, while being guided, above all, by concern for a good and stable future of the Company and the safety of its employees in the decades to come.

JSW S.A. strongly declares that it will not accept harassment, defamation and tarnishing of the good name of JSW Employees. Therefore the Company declares that all actions to the detriment of the Company and its Employees will be immediately taken to court.