Today in Labor History Dec 9 Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity union elected president of Poland

[Omaha Steve]

December 9


December 9, 1990 - Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity trade union, was elected president of Poland. In 1980, Walesa helped form Solidarity and, under his leadership, the union pushed for improved working conditions and democratic reforms. Their efforts were aided by the AFL-CIO and unions in the United States. In 1983, Walesa won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ratification of a new labor agreement at Titan Tire of Natchez, Miss. ends the longest strike in the history of the U.S. tire industry, which began May 1, 1998 at the company's Des Moines, Iowa, plant - 2001

Labor history found here: http://www.unionist.com/today-in-labor-history & here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?history_9_12_09_2009

[Ken Burch]

1. I'm not sure Walesa should be in there

OK, Solidarity STARTED as a union, and originally backed workers' control of factories, but then governed Poland as a party whose labor policies(as well as all the rest of its policies) were to the right of Margaret Thatcher.

Walesa's mob even let Polish antisemitism come back to life by never denouncing it.

The people of Poland wanted freedom and democratic socialism, not the return of corporate moneygrubbers.

Thanks to Walesa's surrender to the IMF and "shock therapy", the workers of Poland have lost everything.

Walesa sold out his supporters to appease the West.

[Ildem09]

2. Polska!

Gdansk is a wonderful town. I went to the Shipyards where it all started. I just wanted to express Solidarity with my Polska brothers and sisters! Lech however was a great labor leader... a politician he was not