Major layoffs begin at OKD: thousands of miners lose their jobs amid the end of coal mining

In Ostrava and Karviná, a major wave of mass layoffs of employees of the mining company OKD is currently underway, linked to the end of black coal mining in Czechia, specifically at the ČSM Mine, the last functioning deep mine in the Czech Republic. The main round of layoffs began in January 2026. Approximately 1,000 OKD employees will be laid off in January and February, with further layoffs to continue throughout the year. This wave of layoffs is a direct consequence of the official end of coal mining at the ČSM Mine on January 31, 2026, ending more than 250 years of underground coal mining in the country.

Employment office directly among miners

What is unique about this situation is that employees of the Czech Employment Office go directly to the mine – to the ČSM Mine complex – and help miners with their next career move as soon as their employment ends. Expert advisors offer immediate:

information on registration with the Labor Office,
unemployment support options,
retraining and job vacancies in the region,
help with CV editing and preparation for selection procedures.

This model of "working directly among employees" is designed so that miners do not have to deal with visiting traditional government offices immediately after being laid off, which is a significant relief at a time when transitioning to another job is not easy. Coal mining has long been a pillar of employment opportunities for the Karviná and Ostrava regions. It is not just an economic loss—for many miners, it means the end of a lifelong profession and identity that was often passed down from generation to generation. In mid-2025, the Labor Office recorded an unemployment rate of around 6 % in the region, with the proportion of job seekers increasing mainly due to layoffs at OKD. The reality is that, although the assistance provided by the Labor Office is significant, finding a new job in an area with above-average unemployment can be a challenge for many. Although some job sectors are growing, they often do not match the qualifications and experience of former miners.