Solidarnosc

Kritika artikolo pri la eniris de la sindikato "Solidarnosc" al la Pola Registaro.

Next week Solidarity will organize its anniversary festival in Gdansk. It will be punctuated by such events as a huge mass in a grand cathedral and a ceremony dedicated to union-busting Ronald Reagan.

The so-called “Solidarity” union from a furniture factory in Bartoszyce has issued a scandalous statement in what seems to be a campaign organized by the bosses of Black Red White company to protect its image after the events of recent weeks.

Last year Poland raised the retirement age to 67 and this year got rid of the guaranteed 8-hour day. Up til now, the main unions have responded with barely a peep. This lack of union militancy has no doubt given the green light to the neoliberal government to push ahead with such anti-worker measures. Now, as the workers demand some response, one wonders if this will be too little, too late. What are the factors that have lead to this situation? They are complex, ranging from the specifics of the local social conditions to the institutions of trade union collaboration. The following is the first in a series of articles on the situation of the unions in Poland.