make mince meat WAVE after wave of strikes have been crashing down on the Polish government since July when Poland's Stalinists launched attack on workers living standards by raising price of meat.
The workers' culminated in virtual general strike in Lublin last week, stretching political resources regime to the limit. movement is far from over, but already the leaders must be wishing they had left meat prices alone. It would have been cheaper in every way.
The Lublin mass strike began on 10 July with action by workers laclul y allu agricultural machinery factory. Plant after plant followed, downing tools, electing WUIKCIS strike commiltees. drawing demands and spreading the word around ine cly. their the the The party Baltic Sea Pomerania › Szczecin of price rises Gdynia Gdańsk • Kaliningrad • Lidzbark Bialystok o Bielsk Podlanski o Bug •Jabłonna WARSAW Terespol •Lodz Lublin • Kielce Majdanek Kraków Rzeszówo Cieszyn (Teschen) Gorlice Przemysl •Krosno Beskid Mountains the Poland's - in other words, ihe lorry factory Gierek *Kaunas Vilniuse lithuania S.S.r.
• Grodno •Bereza Kartuska Brest (Brześć nad Bugiem)
% Chelm • Kovei •Lvov Ternopol• In incline.
Warsaw representatives waves roll on. shipyard • Italy had today •Minsk byelorussia •5.5.r.
than • Kremenets (Krzemieniec)
• Khmelnitski factory for aireraft production in Warsaw printing workers • moving into action. One of une nigges orinang works cici for four hours on Friday morning as their elected representatives • the TOI securit party members - • chosen the day off for negotiations on the same aay, two ornel printing elected and drew up their have une national strike As in the great strike victory of June 1976, the movement against the price rises started at the large complex, ZM Ursus. wnich employs 11,0 workers or the southern outskirts of Warsaw They moved immediately the rises were announced on I.July.
other workers, At least ar Poland?' nundred inousana workers wer engaged in action in the first week Ihe Stalinist bureaucracy ca them tElC demands maintain a total news silence.
The party leaders knew therewould be some trouble, tney banked on quick concession to a few trouble spots in order to gain the benefit of price increases evervwnere erse backfired The embargo told workers something big was afoot The victories in the first factories act became • widely known turouen me grapevine ne regal to go public with a initiative to try to stem the tide On 9 July Gierek went on TV saying there would be n more Herease productivity deals, , while he made vague promises of rises in family benenis are m wards lor luc lowe paid next year.
The Wereness, offerwise why hadn't he Gierek's made it on 1 July?
the famous Zeran car plant employing 20,000 Warsaw workers who had spear heater workers movement 1956 answered Gierel strike action. They were joined by a radio factory it the capital, by two textile factorie detachmens or he brin herise Zyrardow, first class. The second wave of strikes was in full swing 1o date opposition circles in warsaw nave cocumenter mont The actual numbers of strikes may be many times arealer wile the numoers o plants where the workers have won without a battle is probably very much larger still.
The economics of the meat price increase has been turned on bul unals not te mosi frightening balance-sheet for the Gierek has managed to call into being a powerful, self-confident independent trade union movemen which will no pushed back underground without major political convulsions.
• sections or the Polish Stalinist bureaucracy will now start preparing fo just such convulsions. while other grouping will urge political concessions workers in order to sweeten the pill of economic austerity is on the road to profound political upheaval official trade unions have been shown to be bankrupt durin! the strike wave. the no siers. ase they led the workers. worker. neer independent trade unions and new political organisations to conduct Inel struggle for powel In this connection the Britist TUC'S visi in evense take significance: what does the TUC propose to do to assist the struggle by. Polish workers for their rights! Where does it stand on the right to strike and form Socialist Challenge 25 July 1980
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