SITUATION REPORT - POLAND

Created: 9/9/1980

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

SITUATION REPORT

POLAND

Scattered strike* in ze many aaf Poland's provincestyecretary Kania vill handle contemunu

h four-day stria*0 workers at the Kielec aircraft factory in southeastern Poland probably is the most serious. It apparently began after the provincial party first secretary told the workers thay did not need free trade unions. The workers disagreed and have since escalated their demands to include tho dismissal of local party officials and the introduction of religiousin the schools. Since the beginning of the strikes in early July, local officials have repeatedly caused problems by ignoring instructions froa Warsaw. fJBamk

Although many of the strikes will probably bequickly at the local level, Warsaw has shown signs of concern. ommentary Sunday on Radio Warsaw warned that additional demands from strikers threatened the gains won by other strikers, fff***

Increased Union Activity

The interest, in free trade unions, meanwhile,to spread. Representatives from the strikein Gdansk have traveled to various provinces to recruit new union members and distribute handbillsplans for the new unions. Teachers at the -Jagellonlan University in Krakow have also announced the formation of their own free trade union. tsmsmss**-

evelopment certain to raise reoime concern, prominent dissident spokesman Jacek Kuron yesterday went to Gdansk to help advise the strike committee there on organizational questions. Gdansk strike leader Lech Walesa continues to make statements that the regime might later try to use against hia. He recently told a

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western journalist that the new unions intend to work not only at the national level but also hinted they might engage in international activity even though the strike agreement forbids it."

Pegimp's Initial Actions

Kama already is moving to establish ties withpolitical centers andigher public On Sunday he met with the powerful Warsaw party organization. Yesterday he wentey shipyard in ooynia to speak with workers, and today he is reportedly slated to go to Katowice. Kama has spent most of his political career either in the Warsaw party or in the central party apparatus, and he probably foels itto meet local leaders, especially to assure the Katowice party apparatus that Its interests will be famsa.

Deputy Prime Minister Kisiel announceda commission has been established to study waysmanagement of thoconomy. Kisielthat future reforms would give localdecisionmaking authority in such areas asconstruction, retail trade, and localmanagers also would play greater roles in

These changes would not represent malor administra tive reformsifundamentai improvement in how tho economy functions. Kisiel'sa restatement of changes suggested in May by former Prime Ministerthat the new Polish leadership initially plans only superficial changes in the economy.

Warsaw Pact Kxcrcise

Poland's failure to send Defense Minister and party Politburo member Jaruzelski to the Warsaw Pact exercise in East Germany may reflect Warsaw's concern over the continuing labor unrest. Available information, however, does not indicate that the political or internal securityrequires his presence. " '

Original document.

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