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212 Document No. 32: Solidarity National Coordinating Commission, “Statement on the Current Social and Political Situation” circa February 1981 Throughout the crisis, the regime and Solidarity battled for the hearts and minds of the population. The Polish authorities, in part responding to Moscow’s incessant demands , mounted regular propaganda campaigns designed to blame opposition “extremists ” for the country’s economic woes and looming political chaos. In this public statement, Solidarity fires back at the most recent spate of charges that the union is not only causing economic hardship but is trying to undermine the power of the state to govern and to protect Poland’s international interests. With studied reasonableness , the document argues that the state is at fault because of a history of wasteful policies and a failure to fulfill legitimate popular expectations. The union promises to be circumspect in ordering strikes but reserves the right to guarantee implementation of the August 1980 accords. The authors take pains to reassure public opinion that the current system of government is not in danger, nor is Solidarity questioning the “obligations resulting from treaties of alliance in which the PPR participates,” an obvious reference to the Warsaw Pact. STATEMENT ON THE CURRENT SOCIO-POLITICAL SITUATION During the past few days, statements and opinions on the NSZZ Solidarity began to appear in public circulation whose tendentiousness and deviation from the truth raise concern. Therefore we deem it necessary to clearly define the position taken by our Union. 1. State and political authorities recently have very critically evaluated the present economic situation in the country. This evaluation is a reflection of broad public feeling. We believe that pointing out the real sources of the current situation and defining responsibility for the policies which lead to economic catastrophe is essential for finding a way to overcome the crisis. The opinion which has recently emerged in the mass media that the collapse of the Polish economy is a result of the workers’ strikes is not only untrue, it also proves that there are attempts to conceal the real sources of the crisis. The workers are accused of low productivity and losses suffered by the economy due to strikes, but it tends to be forgotten that the workers’ toil has been wasted because of bad policy, arbitrary decisions and extravagance. We strongly declare that it is not the strikes that are leading the country to the threshold of economic catastrophe, but the state policy being carried out against the interests of workers, against the will of the masses, and against the interests of the country. Specifically, it is the workers’ strikes that have created conditions for the process of renewal and for overcoming the crisis. 213 Making use of these conditions assumes a deep-seated economic reform as well as a reform of public life, as has been declared in the gdańsk Agreement. Public expectations for state authorities consist of the fulfillment of promises made, not reproaches, reprimands or threats. The establishment of the NSZZ Solidarity, after a period when it was necessary to struggle for its existence, curtailed the strike actions. In October and November, using [the means of] strike readiness and symbolic strikes almost exclusively, we won the registration of the Union without any amendments to its statute as well as unusually important social gains. It is enough to mention the increase in spending on health care, culture and education in the state budget, and the guarantee of improved supplies of medicines. 2. The National Coordinating Committee has stated in several subsequent declarations that our Union has decided to refrain from making new salary demands until a general Solidarity program for worker issues, which would be covered by collective agreements, is specified. This standpoint resulted in an appeal not to declare strikes. Our standpoint is motivated by a difficult situation in the country and by the conviction that it is necessary to create conditions for economic and social stabilization. Therefore, we assume that social agreements will also be implemented by the other side. We expect from the authorities a policy of stabilization , local fulfillment of welfare promises, consultations with the working masses and our Union’s representation when making key decisions on economic and social policy. Therefore whether we maintain our point of view depends on the policy of the state authorities. We believe that negotiations are the most appropriate way of assuring the fulfillment of justified worker demands and the protection of social interests. We represent that view in practice, in negotiations such...

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