1988 Polish strikes
1988 Polish strikes | |||
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The 1988 Polish strikes were a massive wave of workers' strikes which broke out from 21 April 1988 in the Polish People's Republic.
The strikes, as well as street demonstrations, continued throughout spring and summer, ending in early September 1988. These actions shook the Communist regime of the country to such an extent that it was forced to begin talking about recognising Solidarity.[1] As a result, later that year, the regime decided to negotiate with the opposition,[2] which opened way for the 1989 Round Table Agreement. The second, much bigger wave of strikes (August 1988) surprised both the government, and top leaders of Solidarity, who were not expecting actions of such intensity. These strikes were mostly organized by local activists, who had no idea that their leaders from Warsaw had already started secret negotiations with the Communists.[3]
Background
The late 1980s was a time of deep economic crisis for Poland. The military regime of General
On 29 November 1987 the Communists decided to seek popular support for a 110% price increase, calling the Referendum on political and economic reforms (see Referendums in Poland) supported by the old slogan of "democratization" as the only concession. The government of Zbigniew Messner lost the referendum - according to independent sources, with a turnout of around 30%,[5] - but officially, it was announced that 63.8% voters participated in it, and so, deputy prime minister Zdzisław Sadowski decided to go on with the price increase. The policy was introduced on 1 February 1988. It was the biggest hike since 1982. The operation was a failure, as the massive price increases were followed by 40% increase in wages, meant to offset the price increases. As a result, inflation rose at alarming speed, and by late 1989, near hyperinflation was reached.[6]
Repressions against the Solidarity movement
In late 1987, Communist authorities initiated a wave of repressions of activists of underground Solidarity trade union and other oppositional organizations. On 9 November
Spring 1988 strikes
On 21 April 1988, 5000 workers of
On 1 May 1988, opposition activists organized peaceful demonstrations in several Polish cities, such as Bielsko-Biała, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Gdańsk, Kraków, Łódź, Płock, Poznań, Warsaw, and Wrocław. They were attended by thousands of people, and in some places, street fights erupted. On the next day, a strike broke out in Lenin Gdańsk Shipyard, where workers demanded legalization of Solidarity. Soon, Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Andrzej Wielowieyski showed up in Gdańsk, ready to talk to the management of the plant. However, the talks were fruitless, and on 10 May, after threats of use of force, the strike ended in the atmosphere of failure.[9] The last strike of the spring took place in Szczecin, involving workers of city’s mass transit system.
Summer 1988 strikes
During late spring and early summer of 1988, the situation in Poland did not improve. In several cities, local Solidarity branches unsuccessfully tried to legalize the union. On 19 June local elections took place, and Solidarity urged voters to boycott them. On 26 July government spokesman Jerzy Urban said that Solidarity permanently belonged to the past, and two days later, Polish sociologists announced that only 28% of Poles believed that government’s reforms would succeed. Most people thought that the reforms would end up with even deeper crisis.[13] The first strike of summer 1988 took place in the Upper Silesian city of Jastrzębie-Zdrój, and it began on 15 August.
Upper Silesia
On 15 August a strike broke out at the
Among the striking
- Borynia from Jastrzębie-Zdrój,
- Jastrzębie from Jastrzębie-Zdrój,
- Moszczenica from Jastrzębie-Zdrój,
- ZMP from Żory,
- Krupiński from Żory,
- XXX-lecia PRL from Pniówek,
- 1 Maja from Wodzisław Śląski,
- Marcel from Wodzisław Śląski,
- Morcinek from Kaczyce,
- Andaluzja from Piekary Śląskie,
- Lenin from Mysłowice.[15]
Communist
On 2 September Lech Wałęsa appeared in the July Manifesto coalmine, the last place that continued the strike. After his appeal, and a long argument, the miners decided to give up. The strike at July Manifesto was the longest one of Communist Poland.[17]
Szczecin
On 17 August the Port of Szczecin began to strike. In the following days, other companies from Szczecin stopped working, and the Interfactory Strike Committee was founded. It issued a statement, which consisted of four points, one of which was the demand of legalization of Solidarity. On 28 August the Committee announced that Wałęsa was its sole representative. In response, Wałęsa sent to Szczecin a statement about his meeting with Czesław Kiszczak, during which the future Round Table talks had been discussed. Nevertheless, the strikes in Szczecin did not end until 3 September. Wałęsa had informed the public about talks with the regime during the 21 August demonstration in Gdańsk.[15]
Stalowa Wola
By far the biggest strike of summer 1988 took place in Stalowa Wola Steelworks, in which around 10,000 workers participated, and the plant was surrounded by militarized police units.[18] The Stalowa Wola strike was so significant, that it was dubbed “the fourth nail in the coffin of Communism”.[19]
Since the Steelworks was an arms manufacturer, the factory, which in the 1980s employed around 21,000 people, was under a watchful eye of the security services, and its employees were strictly prohibited from undertaking any kind of oppositional activities. Nevertheless, across the 1980s, it was one of main centers of protests and demonstrations, and in spring of 1988, Stalowa Wola workers started the first strike of that year, which ended after a few days, and which was a prelude of the summer events. On the morning of 22 August, workers at the plant decided to organize a sit-in, with only one demand - legalization of Solidarity.[20] This decision was crucial for further events in Poland, as strikes in Upper Silesia were slowly coming to an end. Led by Wieslaw Wojtas, the strike lasted 11 days. Workers were supported by local priests, and activists of the so-called Supporting Office, who delivered food, medicine, blankets, helped those beaten by government security forces, but also informed Western Europe about situation in Stalowa Wola. Every day, citizens of the town gathered by the Gate 3 to the steelworks, where local parish priest, reverend Edmund Frankowski, celebrated two masses (26 and 31 August), which were attended by up to 10,000 people.[20] Frankowski actively supported the strikers, in the sermons, he urged the faithful to help the workers.
The Stalowa Wola strike ended on 1 September, after the personal request of Lech Wałęsa, who called Wiesław Wojtas, telling him: “You are great, but please, end the strike, I am asking you in the name of Solidarity”.[21] Following Wałęsa's request, 4,000 workers left the factory on 1 September at 7 p.m. Together with around 15,000 inhabitants of the city, they marched to the Church of Mary, Queen of Poland, where they were greeted by reverend Frankowski, who said: “Illegal priest is welcoming participants of the illegal strike”.[21]
Gdańsk
On 19 August a group of young activists began circulating leaflets, urging workers of the Gdańsk Lenin Shipyard to join striking miners from Jastrzębie-Zdrój. According to Alojzy Szablewski, who was leader of plant’s Solidarity, Lech Wałęsa was called, and during a meeting it was decided the strike would begin on Monday 22 August.[22] On that day, at 7 a.m., some 3000 workers put away their tools. Their only demand was short - legalization of Solidarity.
Soon afterwards, other main factories of Gdańsk joined the shipyard - Port Polnocny,
The strikes in Gdańsk ended on 1 September, and on 3 September both sides signed an agreement, according to which the communists promised not to persecute the strikers. The promise was broken, and hundreds of people were fired in the fall of 1988.
Outcome
At first, the government tried to threaten the protestors; on 20 August, the Committee of National Defence announced preparations for introduction of national state of emergency. However, the determination of the workers made the Communists realize that talks with the officially non-existent trade union were inevitable. On 31 August General Czesław Kiszczak met with Lech Wałęsa. During the conversation, which was witnessed by Archbishop Bronisław Wacław Dąbrowski, Kiszczak appealed for putting an end to strikes, he also promised to take care of legalisation of Solidarity.[24]
Even though Solidarity activists in several centers opposed Wałęsa's appeal to end strikes, soon afterwards laborers returned to work. The last strikes, in the Port of Szczecin and the July Manifesto coal mine, lasted until 3 September. On 18 December Wałęsa established the Solidarity Citizens' Committee, which opened way for the Polish Round Table Agreement.
In 1988, director Andrzej Piekutowski made a documentary film Coal Miners’88, which presents strike in July Manifesto coal mine.[25] Also, Pawel Smolenski and Wojciech Gielzynski wrote a book Workers’88.[26]
See also
- History of Solidarity
- Lublin 1980 strikes
- Polish 1970 protests
- Poznań 1956 protests
- 1981 warning strike in Poland
References
- ^ Turning the tables? by Andy Zebrowski “The second massive wave of strikes this year has shaken the Polish regime to such an extent that it doesn't know which way to turn”
- ^ Pushing back the curtain. BBC News, Poland 1984 - 1988
- ^ Second August, by Andrzej Grajewski
- ISBN 9780203018897.
- ^ ISBN 9780817989637.
- S2CID 189779205.
- ^ Encyclopedia of the Cold War By Ruud van Dijk, page 958
- ^ "History of Solidarity, 1987". Archived from the original on 2009-07-09. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ a b "History of Solidarity, 1988". Archived from the original on 2007-02-27. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ he Encyclopedia of world history By Peter N. Stearns, page 885
- ^ "Nowa Huta. Miasto pracy i walki". Archived from the original on 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ April-May strike in Lenin Steelworks
- ^ Encyclopedia of Solidarity, July 1988
- ^ Encyclopedia of Solidarity, Jastrzębie again
- ^ a b Encyclopedia of Solidarity, August 1988
- ^ Encyclopedia of Solidarity, Jastrzebie again
- ^ A carnival of revolution By Padraic Kenney, page 234
- ^ The Washington Post, "Polish Unrest Spreads; Dozens of Activists Held; Workers at 2nd Industrial Center Join Protest"
- ^ "20th Anniversary of Stalowa Wola strikes". Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ a b Encyclopedia of Solidarity - Stalowa Wola Steelworks
- ^ a b "Strike in Stalowa Wola Steelworks, 22 August - 1 September 1988". Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ Gazeta Wyborcza, "Anniversary of August 1988"
- ^ A carnival of revolution By Padraic Kenney, page 235
- ^ "Solidarity - History in dates". Archived from the original on 2009-10-02. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ "Film Library By Director". Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ^ "Polska historia 1976 - 1989 - wydawnictwa zagraniczne". incipit.home.pl. Retrieved 2019-01-16.