About 40 workers refused to leave the mine in Czechowice-Dziedzice at the end of their shift on Monday, according to media reports.
The miners are demanding an urgent meeting with Energy Minister Miłosz Motyka and President Karol Nawrocki, as well as payment of outstanding bonuses and assurances that no disciplinary action will be taken against participants in the protest.
The strike follows parliament's approval on December 4 of legislation regulating the future of Poland’s hard coal industry, including severance packages for miners leaving the sector.
Nawrocki signed the bill into law, and it is set to take effect on January 1.
Lawmakers rejected opposition proposals to extend the severance packages to miners at PG Silesia.
Motyka said the exclusion was due to "formal reasons."
PG Silesia is currently undergoing restructuring, and companies in that process are not eligible for state aid under existing law, public broadcaster Polish Radio's IAR news agency reported.
Motyka said the government was examining ways to support the mine’s workers and had filed a motion to conclude the restructuring proceedings, after which further steps could be taken.
Union officials said the protest was being conducted safely.
Grzegorz Babij, head of the Solidarity trade union at PG Silesia, said the miners would be moved to a safer area underground and supplied with blankets, sleeping bags, water and sanitary products.
Tomasz Szpyrka, head of the Kadra trade union at the mine, said the workers were determined and deeply disappointed with both the government and the mine’s owners.
He added they planned to continue their protest despite the approaching Christmas holiday.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP