PGNiG saw several of its trade unions address an open letter to PM Donald Tusk, expressing concern over the company’s cost cutting program which was launched after energy market regulator URE refused PGNiG's request for a tariff increase. PGNiG is introducing "drastic" organizational changes to improve the situation but "actions aimed at minimizing the negative social consequences of organizational changes are far too limited in the light of the planned scale of layoffs next year," the unions wrote. Our view: As unions traditionally have a powerful position in Poland their opposition may significantly hinder PGNiG’s desire to cut cost by axing jobs. Although labour is not as much unionized as for example in the mining industry, historical evidence suggests that PGNiG always found it difficult to increase operating efficiency by lowering the workforce. Indeed, total employment has been on the rise over the last few years and reached 33,071 in 2011 versus 29,797 in 2006.