33 years ago, 29 April 1978 in Gdansk, was appointed the Founding Committee of Free Trade Unions of the Coast. This initiative is referred to the FTU created 21 February 1978 year to Silesia, but This, however, activists Danzig FTU directing a big uprising by workers in August 1980 and led to the emergence of the Solidarity Trade Union.
Joanna Duda-Gwiazda MKZ in the bulletin of Solidarity in 1981 writes: "On the eve of May 1, 1978, the Andrzej Gwiazda - Eng. Elektronik from Elmoru, Anthony Sokolowski - welder fired from the Gdansk shipyard in 1976 and Krzysztof Wyszkowski - carpenter employed by the Cooperative Housing, "Housing for Young People, signed a declaration setting up the Founding Committee Free Trade Unions of the Coast. "
"Society has to fight for the right to democratically manage their own country. (...) Bearing in mind the tragic experiences of December 1970, based on the expectations of many social groups and communities of the Coast, Silesian take the initiative of developing free trade unions. Today, on the eve of May 1, holidays for over 80 years, symbolizing the struggle for workers' rights, we refer the Founding Committee of Free Trade Unions of the Coast. The purpose of Free Trade Unions is an organization defending the interests of economic, legal and humanitarian workers. Unions declare their support and care for all workers without distinction of creed or qualifications " - we read in the founding declaration of the FTU.
historians who deal with issues of democratic opposition agree that the FTU was the source of the events of December 1970, on the Coast . - The idea of \u200b\u200bthe FTU is not born in Warsaw, only during Dec '70th knew that all changes must be made with the participation of workers - Krzysztof Wyszkowski stresses.
The breach in the system
Unions operate independently of the socialist state. Soon, in addition to structures acting in Silesia and the coast, formed in October of the FTU in Szczecin. Unfortunately, the authorities failed to pacify in the embryo similar initiatives in Walbrzych, Gmiechowie, Lodz, Krakow, Radom, and Czestochowa. SB dezintegrowała and with special insight penetrated free trade, which stood up for the rights of workers and citizens, challenged in a special way at the basis of justice system history. Overlooking the coast bulletin Fri "Worker Coast", it is said:
"The People's Republic there are powerful unions uniting millions of workers, with their own press, funds, premises. Still, every few years, the workers took to the streets and violently dopominają up for their rights, exposing themselves to attacks by militia and the subsequent repression. Even large groups of workers in the event of a conflict with the administration is powerless and alone. The situation of a single worker is hurt or deceived even more difficult.
(...) We do not set the policy goals, not impose our members, collaborators and sympathizers of certain political views and ideology, do not seek to take power. However, we realize that it can not avoid the accusation of political activity. Range of issues, which with us are treated as political affairs is the very wide and covers almost everything except for trips to pick mushrooms.
(...) Our business is legitimate and lawful. Everyone has the natural right of defense, justice and the dignity of life - the Constitution guarantees us and the international communist conventions and agreements relating to human and civil rights. Trade union activity is under special legal protection ".
as: Why have assumed the FTU?, "Worker Coast, No. 1, August 1, 1978, p. 1
formula and the concept of business across boundaries, will assist the workers caused particular concern among the communist authorities, not only in Poland but also in Moscow. Renowned historian Slawomir Cenckiewicz, including in his article Fri "Gęgacze and the meek, "published last year in the weekly EXPRESS, quotes Peter Kostikowa, in the years 1964-1980 Head of Communications Polish sector of the fraternal parties Socialist Countries Central Committee, who in his memoirs he wrote, among others:
" Z Note, for example, already noted in (April) 1978 years the creation of the Founding Committee of Free Trade Unions. We learned later that independent newspapers are distributed, that security has made arrests. We are very scared. More than we know in advance of the Workers Defense Committee and may the noble premise, but the isolated action of the young and elderly intellectual circles among the workers in Radom, Ursus and other towns affected by the repression after June 1976. Reports on the activities of the security of our Kuron, Adam Michnik, Modzelewski and did not Moczulski stronger impression, though spowszedniały (...).
only news about the Free Trade Unions alarmed by our bosses. (...) Our chefs have formulated such a hypothesis: this movement is dangerous, has the same name - free trade unions or workers' defense committees - They are dynamite. Traffic is dangerous, because it goes back to the beginning of the century, the roots of social revolution. This incredible thesis formulated with us still in the 70s Hid her fear ... revolution. Not stop at theory, for internal purposes of the Soviet Union went to intensify repression command, observation, prosecuting forces taking action against the Soviet state. We have no one thought about free trade, but already deployed outposts.
would not be without a Gdansk Solidarity FTU
Activities FTU in the period 1978-1980 focused on defending the rights of workers and trade union organizations and celebrations December'70 issue of the independent press. FTU spent seven issues of "The Worker Coast" and about ten leaflets, including the release entitled "The facility, then distributed to the villages, Kashubian. It was written in them about everyday matters. Standing were the subject of labor rights and trade union. On the pages of The Worker Coastal approximated the content of the International Labour Organisation conventions, and reported an repressions against the opposition activists.
When the communist authorities announced 1 July 1980 increase in food prices triggered a wave of strikes. Directorates plants started firing, "Indomitable". On August 7th 1980, fired them at the Gdansk shipyard. Lenin Anna Walentynowicz, activist FTU. few days later at a meeting of the Founding Committee of Free Trade Unions Bogdan Borusewicz suggested calling a strike in Tri-yards. Scrimmage strike in the Gdansk shipyards, 14 August 1980 made by members of the FTU - Jerzy Borowczak, Bogdan Felski and Louis Prądzyński. Gdynia shipyard strike in them. Paris Commune, organized another activist FTU - Andrew Wheeler and it was during his first day working in the yard. Soon trade union strike committee was headed by another member of the FTU, Lech Walesa.
therefore meet the basic objective, which imposed the Unions of the Coast, came to wait only two years when, in August 1980, trade union strike committee forced the authorities to agree to the establishment of independent trade unions. This was undoubted merit of Gdansk FTU activists who played a decisive role in the work of the Solidarity movement.
Marie A. Roman
Read also:
Slawomir Cenckiewicz, "Gęgacze and Silent", see here .
[ On the pictures: Making wreaths at the gate of the Gdansk Shipyard No. 2 to them. Lenin, organized by the FTU, on 16 December 1979; first issue of The Worker Coast "of August 1, 1978].
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