40 years ago, on 31 August 1980, one of the most surprising events of the 20th century took place in Poland. A peaceful revolt led to the authorities agreeing to establish independent trade unions. The August agreements represented a breakthrough in the political system of the Communist bloc.

As early as the morning of 15 August, the Gdańsk Shipyard received information about the factories joining the strike. The management of some of them tried to suppress the protests with promises of wage increases. The workers refused, stating that they were awaiting the outcome of the negotiations at the Shipyard.

On the night of 16 to 17 August, the Interfactory Strike Committee was established. It was then that the famous list of 21 requests was formed, including an increase in wages, a reduction in the retirement age, an improvement in market supply, the selection of managers according to their competence rather than party affiliation, the abolition of privileges for the MO and the SB and the establishment of trade unions independent of the authorities. At the same time, in Warsaw, there was growing chaos among the highest authorities.

The first agreement between the government and the strikers was signed on 30 August in Szczecin. The authorities agreed to the demands, including new trade unions; the MKS agreed to call them ‘self-governing’.

On 31 August, the protesters and the authorities at Gdańsk Shipyard signed the Gdańsk Agreement. The government delegation agreed, among other things, to the creation of new, independent, self-governing trade unions, the right to strike, the construction of a monument to the victims of December ‘70, the broadcasting of Sunday masses on Polish Radio and a reduction in censorship. It has also been accepted that the new unions would recognise the leading role of the PZPR in the state and the „principles of the social and political system of the People’s Republic of Poland”. The event was broadcast on television. Strikers in Gdańsk, Szczecin and Elbląg started working on September 1.

That is how ” Solidarność” was born.

Tłum. K.J.