Protest of railwaymen across Poland. Why are railway workers getting nervous? See where you will encounter difficulties and what protestors demand.
Why the protest? Main reasons for the demonstration
In days 28-30 July 2025 a year in Poland there is an organized protest of railway operators, including roadblocks in 13 cities. The Railway Engineers' Professional Union with the support of OPZZ has decided to take this step in response to the increasing problems of the railway sector, in particular to mass exemptions in PKP Cargo, the country's largest freight carrier. Last year, the company left until 3,665 employees. Traders are alerting that this and the following year the situation may get worse – further plans are planned exemptions, a total of more than 2,000 people.
Main slogans of the protest:
- Saving jobs in the railway industry
- Reversing the trend to promote road transport at the expense of railways
- Strategic investments and ecology
How and where do the railwaymen protest?
The protest action involves blocking key routes and crossings in hours 10:00 to 14:00. Demonstrations shall take place, inter alia, in:
- Warsaw (Maryvilska Street 39)
- Czechowice-Heirds (DK1)
- Dąbrowa Górnicza (Piłsudski Avenue 117)
- Vasilks (DK19)
- Bydgoszcz (Stone Street)
- Poznań (Theodorus Raben Roundabout)
- Tarnowskie Góry, Brzesk, Żory, Łazach, Guardians, Guardians of Cologne, Rock
Blockages are conducted as announced from Monday to Wednesday, during peak hours, which means considerable difficulties for both drivers and passengers using collective communication.
List of main locations of the protest:
| City | Lock site |
|---|---|
| Warsaw | Marivilska 39 |
| Czechowice-Herdzice | DK1 from Copernicus Street |
| Dabrowa Górnicza | Al. Piłsudski 117 |
| Bydgoszcz | Kamienna |
| Poznań – Gądki | Rondo Th. Raben, Warehouse Street |
| Tarnowskie Mountains | Zagórska 70 |
| … | … |
Why now? Railway vs. truck – arguments and examples
Unioners don't dress up in words: "One train can carry as many as a hundred tires and yet road transport is promoted!" – says Leszek Miętek, President of the Railway Engineers' Professional Union. Protesters indicate, for example, road investments: more and more construction materials, steel or aggregates instead of wagons, are loaded onto trucks. In parallel, the public continues debate about ecology – and here too railway carriers have their arguments: railways are cheaper and much less harmful to the environment than the growing fleet of TIRs on Polish roads.
What are the railroadmen fighting for? Postulates and Perspectives
In short, protesters demand:
- Renegotiation of state policy on rail transport,
- Provide real and long-term support for the Cargo Railway Station,
- Investments in modern rolling stock and infrastructure,
- Security of employment and respect for the competences of workers in the sector.
Minister infrastruktury uspokaja, że resort podziela wiele z tych postulatów i planuje nowe inwestycje oraz zakup taboru. Dodatkowo, PKP Intercity i inni przewoźnicy regionalni mogą częściowo przejąć zwalnianych maszynistów po odpowiednim przeszkoleniu.
Chociaż trwający protest powoduje wymierne utrudnienia dla kierowców i mieszkańców miast, staje się też ważnym sygnałem ostrzegawczym dla decydentów.
