Free Trade Unions of the Coast
Encyclopedia
Free Trade Unions of the Coast were a government-independent trade union
in the People's Republic of Poland
.
This trade union was founded in Gdańsk
on 29 April 1978 by Andrzej Gwiazda
, Krzysztof Wyszkowski and Antoni Sokołowski. The choice of the date was not accidental: the founders issued a declaration that "today, on the eve of the May Day
, the holiday symbolizing for more than eighty years the struggle for workers' rights, we constitute the Initiating Committee of the Free Trading Unions (Komitet Założycielski Wolnych Związków Zawodowych)". The founders also condemned official, state-subordinated trade unions as a "subordinated instrument for the organized exploitation of all social groups".
Free Trade Unions of the Coast were not a national organization and organized workers only from the coastal 'Tricity
' area. They were one of several free trade unions founded in Poland in the late 1970s (others were founded in Katowice
, Radom
and Szczecin
). The Free Trade Unions of the Coast were likely the most significant trade union in Poland before the advent of NSZZ Solidarity (Solidarność).
The idea of forming independent trade unions was first raised by the striking workers during the coastal cities events in 1970. Free Trade Unions of the Coast were a non-governmental organization
, independently defending citizen's and workers rights to create organizations free from control from the state and working towards restoring democratic controls in Poland. It had its own underground biweekly newspaper
(bibuła), Robotnik Wybrzeża (Worker of the Coast).
By the summer of 1980 the Free Trade Unions of the Coast drawing support from ROPCiO and KOR, became the stronghold of the free trade union movement in Poland.
Free Trade Unions organized the strike
in Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk
in August 1980, and were instrumental in the creation of Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
(Międzyzakładowy Komitet Strajkowy), whose 21 demands
led to the signing of the Gdańsk Agreement
and eventually to the creation of the famous NSZZ Solidarity (Solidarność).
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrzej_Bulc
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in the People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
.
This trade union was founded in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
on 29 April 1978 by Andrzej Gwiazda
Andrzej Gwiazda
Andrzej Gwiazda in Gdańsk engineer and prominent opposition leader, who participated in Polish March 1968 Events and December 1970 Events; one of the founders of Free Trade Unions, Member of the Presiding Committee of the Strike at Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk in August 1980, Vice President of the...
, Krzysztof Wyszkowski and Antoni Sokołowski. The choice of the date was not accidental: the founders issued a declaration that "today, on the eve of the May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
, the holiday symbolizing for more than eighty years the struggle for workers' rights, we constitute the Initiating Committee of the Free Trading Unions (Komitet Założycielski Wolnych Związków Zawodowych)". The founders also condemned official, state-subordinated trade unions as a "subordinated instrument for the organized exploitation of all social groups".
Free Trade Unions of the Coast were not a national organization and organized workers only from the coastal 'Tricity
Tricity
Tricity is an urban area consisting of three Polish cities: Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. They are situated adjacent to one other, in a row, on the coast of the Gdańsk Bay, Baltic Sea, in Pomerelia , northern Poland...
' area. They were one of several free trade unions founded in Poland in the late 1970s (others were founded in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, Radom
Radom
Radom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
and Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
). The Free Trade Unions of the Coast were likely the most significant trade union in Poland before the advent of NSZZ Solidarity (Solidarność).
The idea of forming independent trade unions was first raised by the striking workers during the coastal cities events in 1970. Free Trade Unions of the Coast were a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, independently defending citizen's and workers rights to create organizations free from control from the state and working towards restoring democratic controls in Poland. It had its own underground biweekly newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
(bibuła), Robotnik Wybrzeża (Worker of the Coast).
By the summer of 1980 the Free Trade Unions of the Coast drawing support from ROPCiO and KOR, became the stronghold of the free trade union movement in Poland.
Free Trade Unions organized the strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
in August 1980, and were instrumental in the creation of Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee
Inter-Enterprise Strike Committee was an action strike committee formed in Gdańsk Shipyard, People's Republic of Poland on 16 August 1980...
(Międzyzakładowy Komitet Strajkowy), whose 21 demands
21 demands of MKS
21 demands of MKS were a list of demands issued on 17 August 1980 by the Interfactory Strike Committee . The first demand was the right to create independent trade unions...
led to the signing of the Gdańsk Agreement
Gdansk Agreement
The Gdańsk Agreement was an accord reached as a direct result of the strikes that took place in Gdańsk, Poland...
and eventually to the creation of the famous NSZZ Solidarity (Solidarność).
Quotes
- From the founding declaration of the Free Trade Unions
- “the society will not struggle for the right to democratic government (...) the genuine social organizations and associations may save the country, since the only means to consolidate the interests and will of the citizens with the interests and the power of the country is democratization”http://www.ipn.gov.pl/eng/eng_news_high_conf_gdansk.html
External links
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrzej_Bulc