RR8037 POLAND REPORT

(12 Sep 1980) RR8037 POLAND REPORT Background to story: Recent weeks have brought unexpected and far-reaching changes in Poland. Striking shipyard workers in Gdansk, led by previously unknown Lech Walesa, won a number of concessions from the government, including the right to set up their own trade union, independent of the government and Communist Party, something unprecedented in Eastern Europe. The miners of Silesia have won similar concessions. But no sooner had party leader Eduard Gierek agreed to the demands than he was removed from power, making way for Stanislaw Kania, a man with a state security background. Kania, however, has pledged to honour all the concessions, although warnings have been sounded that continued strike action could lose the workers some of their new gains. Film: Rev – Sound: Mag/SOF – Colour– Available in HD Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...