POLAND: PRESSURE FROM THE WORKERS

Created: 7/30/1981

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

1

POLANDt Pressure Prom Che Workers

Solidarity loaders arm finding itdifficult to control the uorkera, uho are angry oaer uorecning foodarticularly meat, and the prospect of drastic price increases. Emm

Work forces in the factories have flooded regional and national Solidarity headquarters with demands that the onion protest the situation. Workers in the central Polish textile city of Lodz have already held four days of controlled demonstrations. Mmm

Yesterday, wildcat strikes occurred in Warsaw, and work stoppages have been scheduled for other cities in the coming weeks. TheBe demonstrations thus far have been peaceful because of the restraint exercised by the police and because of Solidarity's experience in handling crowds. Mf

Solidarity's leaders are aware that the government has almost no food reserves to provide to the workers. Nevertheless, they believe that they have to respond or risk losing control of the workers. The union leaders probably will continue to criticize the regime's policies in strong terms, hoping that the controlled demonstrations will vent public anger while avoiding r. showdown. EM]

The surge of discontent will divert the attention of Solidarity's leaders from preparations for the union's first congress scheduled for early September and from Its efforts to reach compromise aareamont on newon censorship and self-management.