Socialist Challenge 4 June 1982 Polish military moved to crush the independent trade union riot police. camps.
The crackdown by the military outlawed all activities. Those organising resistance were Lech Walesa put nouse arrest. All Justitied by the need to "defend socialism' But Solidarnosc was no threat to socialism, only to the bureaucratic elite who run Polish society. Solidarnosc never called for an end to state owner ship TaCTOTeс and workplaces. It called for privileges and corruption of the bureaucrats aua DarL oI ficials.
Solidarnosc TCISCI. ted twelve million workers, small tarmers. students and others united in favour of workers' selfmanagement and democracy.
Solidarnosc was itself a model of democracy. All discussions were recorded and available t0 every ALMOST six months ago, on 13 December, the movement Solidarnosc. Dozens were killed, factories occupied by the and thousands put in interment member, all negotiations opcn/V broadcast Every official was elected and recallable. programme was adopted only after exhaustive discussion.
But Solidarnosc posed a deadly threat to Poland's rulers, a huge bureaucratic apparatus organised by the Communist Party with its LEWE and political privileges in a post-capitalist state.
It was this apparatus backed up by the Kremlin which ruthlessly moved to repress Solidarnosc. In so doing reinforced the myth that the only alternative to capitalist misery exploitation Stalinist terror and dietatorship.
But Solidarnosc has not been crushed. Its deep roots facilitated widespread underground resistance. On May Day 100,000 marched in the capital Warsaw and Gdansk, birthplace of Solidarnosc Solidarnose needs the British labour movement's support. Reagan and *Thatcher shed crocodile tears. Bur as enemies of are no friends of the Polish SOCIISL acmocrac WOEKERS The Labour Party, trade unions and youth should take the lead in organising solidarity with Solidarnosc. Already exilworkplaces, and Polish DESCHE have OCCI adopted by labour organisations. The Solidarnosc trade union working ordinates these activities.
Solidarity committees based on the labour movement spread sondarosc s message. The Manchester CULH EICE IEC CA LEO! a national labour movement conterence 1o1 Осtober, already endorsed b several Labour MPs and union officials.
Activists should campaign commit the Labour Party and TUC to call a national demonstralion in Decemner to mar. one year of martial law and help establish Glasgow Morgan 041-649 8958 COLTOn burgh, Ring 061-620 2885 490927 South Yorks Polish Solidarity Committee 617174 Nottingham Labour Solidarnosc, c/o 3 Elm Close, Nottingham Murray, 021-773 5396 Coventry Solidarity ASTMS. 26 Queens Road, Coventry Road, Oxford. Ring 0865 58238.
London NWI. Ring 01-458 1501 Labour Focus Kingsland High St. London ES Solidarnosc Trade Union Philbeach La solidarity movement in TNS COuBErT CanDOnH the of workers power.
Solidarnosc Solidarity Committees Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Gordon Durward Avenue, Glasgow G41. Ring Polish Solidarity Committee -CFO Edinburgh & District Trades Council, 12 Picardy Place, EdinGreater Manchester Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Jon Silberman, 51 Montrose House, Crete St, Oldham, -COOS T OnSH DOnCaHL Commute cro wave recker 28 Roundhay Mourit, Leeds 8, Yorkshire. Ring 0532 , c/o Rab Bird, 279 Ellesmere Road, Sheffield, S4 DP. Ring 0742 Movement Solidarity Birmingham Polish Solidarity Committee, c/o Roger Blackford Road, Birmingham 11. Ring Committee, John Fisher c/o CATOTO ADOLEME DRORESONB0 Eastern Europe Solidarity Campaign, 10 Park Drive, Bastern Europe. Box 23, 136 Working Group in UK, 64 Gardens. Earis Court, London SW5. Ring