POLAND: RURAL SOLIDARITY

Created: 4/18/1981

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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POLAND: Rural Solidarity

The government 'a agreement to an independent trade unionntended to be the kind off good sill that Soltdantu leader Lech yaUea called for tn hie recent interview on POlteh national television, mMJ

The move will be especially well received by the Church. The government hopes that the.action willits commitment to moderation and reform, reduce suspicions of Prime Minister Jaruselski's intentions intrike ban, and ease the way for government-union talks. These talks were slated to begin Thursday but have not yet begun. MM

By agreeing to the farmers' union outside theof its talks with Solidarity, the government may nope to minimize the links between the two unions and avoid allowing Solidarity to take credit for the farmers' union. Perhaps as important, the government probably believes that it would help production to agree to the new union before spring farmwork is in full swing.

Many in Solidarity will view the concessionong-overdue step and may not be inclined to give the government much credit. The fact that the government responded only after farmers began another sit-in may confirm tho belief of some union activists that the government acts only under pressure. MMt

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