Dispute Over Labor Market Reform and Power Struggle in the Supreme Court

The parliamentary majority decided to refer to the Committee on Social Policy and Family a draft amendment to the State Labor Inspectorate (PIP) Act. The main goal of the reform is to curb the abuse of junk contracts by granting inspectors the authority to transform civil-law contracts and B2B arrangements into full-time positions. The draft is highly contentious; employer organizations warn of business paralysis, and OPZZ head Piotr Ostrowski, while supporting the direction of changes, described the current version of the draft as worse than previous proposals due to protracted procedures. The State Labor Inspectorate was established in 1919 by Marshal Józef Piłsudski, and its tasks have evolved from overseeing workplace hygiene to protecting workers' rights in the modern economy. At the same time, the Ministry of Labor under the leadership of Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk sparked a media storm with an unusual information campaign. Recordings featuring cats were used to explain the legal complexities of the reform, which sparked widespread interest on social media. While the form raised discussions about the seriousness of the debate, the ministry emphasized that the campaign was prepared cost-free by ministry employees. Within the ruling camp itself, a dispute arose – MP Artur Łącki from the Civic Coalition publicly criticized the minister for lack of tangible actions and receiving a salary despite no results, indicating internal tensions within the ruling coalition. Simultaneously, a crisis is affecting the foundations of the justice system. The General Assembly of Supreme Court Judges attempted to select candidates for the position of First President of the Supreme Court, but the process was paralyzed by a boycott from the so-called old judges. They refuse to participate in the procedure involving persons appointed after 2018, which prevented the effective compilation of a candidate list. At the same time, the Sejm adopted a resolution aimed at terminating the mandates of current members of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS) and selecting new judges, which the opposition calls an unlawful action. The Supreme Court in Poland is the body supervising the activities of common and military courts, and its origins date back to the times of the Kingdom of Poland and 1917. „Mogła robić co chce, lub nic nie robić, a i tak pensję dostała.” (She could do whatever she wanted, or do nothing, and still got her salary.) — Artur Łącki

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize the necessity of repairing the rule of law through changes in the KRS and defend the PIP reform as a fight against exploitation in the labor market. Conservative media highlight the legal chaos caused by Sejm resolutions and the blow to entrepreneurship through new PIP powers.