POLAND: SOLIDARITY'S FIRST NATIONAL CONGRESS

Created: 9/5/1981

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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SPECIAL ANALYSES

POLANDi Solidarity's rirst National Congress

The congressmall but important step in the gradual transformationevolutionary social movementoreerent organisation,' Although it will not change the heterogeneous nature ofsrillion memberhe aongreee vill help create greater consensus on union goalsirmer institutional base

which to press for reforms,Solidarity's look of coordination tveen national and regional'leaders will persist, however, and the country's economic problems willhadow over the The delegates probably willar-reaching form of worker self-managementolution to the erieie. Solidarity leader Walesa will be reaffirmed as the union's chief spokesman espite some criticism of his leadership. fmWkm

The'first session opens today, as storedelegates gather in Gdansk for thrss days of debate on organisational and substantive Issues. econd session at the end of September will elect union officials and adopt formal, policies. Between the two sessions,ng groups will draft recossaendatlons on organisationalnd substantive problem*. SseV

Onion'activists are likely toreat deal of electioneering. The leadership wants this period to be one of relative calm, but militants may try to work for favorite candidates or causes by pressing disputes with regime. 4mmmV

The

'The most controversial organisational issue will be the authority of the national union leadership in Gdansk. Nalesa has previously criticised excessive centralization, but he now believes that the center needs more power to focus union strength on key issues and to prevent local

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concerns from dissipating tha union's strength. nd his adherents believe,that unsanctioned local strikes provide the government an opportunity to divide Solidarityi

trong regional bosses such as Zbigniev Bujak, the militant head of the Warsaw chapter, are not willing to relinquish their authority to the center, arguing thathe regional organizations are closer to workers and can be more responsive to their needs. The congress will not resolve.this debate. The national leadership may be given additional power, but the regional chiefs willconsiderable influence and the union's behavior will continue to be erratic. fcsaeV

The delegates will be asked to adopt officialon numerous issues, ranging from the need forto whether the union should create a Walesa will try toiddle coursehave trouble reining in the militants. Althoughseems prepared to push especially hardar-system of worker self-management, there ispressure from local activists"who want to assertof the workers in the factory withouta union-government accord,

The congress will for the first time elect the national leadership. The current leadershipmany of. the strong'.regional leaders, andprobably be returned to .office.

There are no eerlous challengers to Walesa, who is still seen.by most Poles as the embodiment of Solidarity, but he probably will be criticized as too autocratic and oo willing to compromise with theome also dislike his close ties with the Church and his reliance.on Catholic advisers. Several regional leaders areunhappy about his habit of bypassing them and appealing directly to workers. seeem*

Both the Church and the government would like the moderates in the union to have the upper hand. They have little ability to influence events directly, although influential members such as Walesa are willing to listen

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to Church advice. The close tlea between the Church and Solidarity will be symbolized by theof an opening mass-for the congress by Archbishop Glemp. 4bem

Soviet

Soviet'leaders are worried that the congress will make Solidarity institutionally more capable of challeng-

. ing the authority of the communist Party. The Soviet trade union newspaper* Trud, for-examplo, on Wednesday

..attacked Solidarity's proposed charter, contendingunion has transformed itself Into an oppositionthat its "extremist wing" aspires to destroyin Poland and seize power. The Soviets willto note any signs that Solidarity is movingdirection and to demand.that Polish leaderstrendu firmly.

Moscow still'hopes that Solidarity's political in-will gradually be reduced and that the regime eventually get control of the union. The Soviets tried to avoid alienating Solidarity's rank andfocusing its harshest criticism on "extremist"they have refrained from attacking Walesa byrestraint suggests that the USSR is resigned toexistence of Solidarity and sees Walesaigure. WmmW ' m *

The congress will not change the dynamics of"revolution from below.* j union may comeits month-long introspectionetter sensebut it will stillovernment intentits own prerogatives and treatingan adversary to tame. The pattern ofof tension and relaxation established overyear probably will continue to dominatePoland.

Original document.

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