Solidarity's first national congress last summer in Gdansk issued the call for free elections and an end to the system of only party-appointed candidates. The right of workers to run their own factories was also to right candidates for the Job (see box). be 1980 work in tion. strike developed through ending the party's nominate the managers of the enterprises. Solidarity demanded the right to have its own recall. legally registered, thanks to the support of the workers. Soon Rural Solidarity could boast of over two million members allied to Solidarity Students too fought successfully to establish their own independent students association, thanks to the help of Solidarity. Throughout the strike wave suuucills academics had attempted to help Solidarity establish the national In November 1980 medical students had occupied the Medical Academy in Gdansk in support of the health workers who were demanding higher wages and an increase in the budget for the health service.
Tram and bus drivers stopped Gdansk, Warsaw, Poznar and Lublin in support of the students and health workers, in an incident which symbolised the unity of the workers and other social layers to help the lower paid and to improve the health care for the whole populaThe supreme aim of the independent trade union Solidarity is to create