NSZZ Solidarność trade union holds 15-th congress

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In late September 2002, NSZZ 'Solidarność', one of the two largest trade unions in Poland, held its four-yearly congress. Delegates elected new officers and agreed changes to the union’s policies. The previous chair, Marian Krzaklewski, lost the position following criticisms of his record, and especially of excessive involvement in politics.

The Independent and Self-Governing Trade Union (Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Solidarność, NSZZ 'Solidarność'), or Solidarity, held its 15th congress on 26-28 September 2002. NSZZ 'Solidarność' is one of Poland's two largest trade union organisations (PL0208105F).

Delegates assembled in Warsaw to assess the performance of the trade union over the past four years. A majority of the delegates criticised NSZZ 'Solidarność' for becoming excessively involved in politics and state reforms, while neglecting the interests of the working class. The views expressed by the delegates reflected the mood of rank-and-file members. Criticism was addressed mainly at Marian Krzaklewski (an academic employee of the Technical University in Gliwice), the 52-year-old NSZZ 'Solidarność' chair, who acceded to the post after the legendary leader Lech Wałęsa. Mr Krzaklewski had been at the head of NSZZ 'Solidarność' since 1991 and was elected as chair three times in a row. According to a majority of the delegates, his last term of office, during which he was the leader of the centre-right parliamentary group and unofficial 'super prime minister', was a disaster. During this period, it was claimed, the trade union became directly involved in political struggles, while insufficiently protecting the interests of employees. Mr Krzaklewski was reproached for presiding over a reduction in NSZZ 'Solidarność' membership from approximately 2 million members when he assumed the leadership to the current level of 800,000 or 900,000.

The congress delegates formed three groups representing different interests:

• the first advocated radicalising the trade union and focusing exclusively on the protection of the working class. The representative of this group, and its candidate for chair, was a 50-year-old miner and leader of one of Solidarity’s structural units (the secretariat for mining and energy), Kazimierz Grajcarek. He is considered one of the most radical members of Solidarity;

• a second group asserted that NSZZ 'Solidarność' lacked professional management and had failed to keep pace with economic and social changes. This group was represented by Józef Niemiec, the vice-chair of the union’s national commission. A former NSZZ 'Solidarność' regional leader, Maciej Jankowski, summarised the views subscribed to by this group, saying that 'Krzaklewski transformed Solidarity into a party of apparatchiks, and apparatchiks mean inertia'. Therefore 'the trade union must emerge from the backwaters in which it has been for the past 10 years' and 'transform itself into a modern trade union promoting professionals, lawyers and economists instead of apparatchiks and agitators'; and

• the third group remained faithful to Mr Krzaklewski, reminding other delegates that Solidarity’s involvement in politics had been supported by many of its leaders, particularly those who later obtained prominent jobs in the government administration. Mr Krzaklewski’s followers appealed to other delegates 'not to look for culprits, since we all bear our share of the guilt' (in the words of Jacek Smagowicz, a delegate from the Małopolska region).

The representatives of these three groups - Messrs Grajcarek, Niemiec and Krzaklewski - ran for chair at the congress. They emphasised similar issues in their election speeches, such as disengaging NSZZ 'Solidarność' from politics, protecting employees’ rights and the Labour Code, increasing the union’s membership and seeking cooperation with other trade unions. In the subsequent three rounds of voting, however, it turned out that none of the candidates was able to gain more than 30% of the votes, while the NSZZ 'Solidarność' rules require that the chair be elected by more than 50% of the votes. To break the stalemate, another candidate was proposed. This was Janusz Śniadek, a 47-year-old engineer from Gdynia, who was the deputy and close confidant of Mr Krzaklewski. In the final round, after Mr Krzaklewski had withdrawn, Mr Śniadek obtained 69% of the votes. The majority of delegates were sceptical, however, seeing the new chair as a natural successor to Mr Krzaklewski. However, Rafał Kalukin, a Gazeta Wyborcza journalist and trade union analyst, believes that Mr Śniadek may be a good leader, since 'he has already proven himself a moderate and efficient organiser and not a boss type, which may be his strength. We wish him success in directing NSZZ 'Solidarność' through dangerous waters towards a modern trade union – an efficient civic institution and a wise participant in the social dialogue.'

The delegates also elected a new national commission, which consists of approximately 100 members (representatives of regions and sectors and 54 people elected directly from among the delegates). The new commission is dominated by the representatives of traditional sectors of industry (for instance, there are 10 miners among its members). Teachers also have a sizeable representation in the commission, while the healthcare sector is not represented at all.

The main topics discussed at the congress included the forms of influence that the trade union should exert on politics, the challenges for workers (in particular those associated with the recent amendment of the Labour Code - PL0209107F), and the acceptance of new members.

Some observers believe that neither the policy papers adopted during the convention (programmes, resolutions and positions) nor the new governing bodies give hope that NSZZ 'Solidarność' will be able to meet successfully the challenges associated with the changes in the labour market. It is likely to have difficulty addressing such issues as the situation of employees hired under fixed-term contracts, employed in the private services sector or working part time. It is also uncertain whether or not Solidarity will support the introduction of new forms of employee representation that operate independently of trade unions, such as worker councils or shop stewards (PL0208106F).