21 DEMANDS FROM AUGUST 17th 1980

1. Acceptance of free trade unions, independent of parties and employers, resulting from Convention No. 87 of the International Labor Organization, ratified by the People's Republic of Poland, concerning freedom of trade unions.

2. A guarantee of the right to strike and the safety of strikers and supporters.

3. Compliance with the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech, the press and publication, including freedom for independent publishers, and the availability of the mass media to representatives of all faiths.

4. Reinstatements of rights to:
1) People dismissed from work after the 1970 and 1976 strikes.
2) Students expelled from universities for their beliefs. The release of all political prisoners, among them Edmund Zadrozynski, Jan Kozlowski, and Marek Kozlowski.
3) A halt in repression of the individuals because of personal convictions.

5. Availability to the mass media of information about the formation of the Inter-factory Strike Committee and publication of its demands.

6. Taking real action aimed at leading the country out of the crisis situation by:
a) providing the public with full information on the socio-economic situation,.
b) enabling all circles and social strata to participate in the discussion on the reform programme.

7. Payment of remuneration for all workers taking part in the strike for the period of the strike.

8. An increase of the basic salary of each employee by PLN 2,000 per month as compensation for the current increase in prices.

9. Guaranteed automatic increases in pay on the basis of increases in prices and the decline in real income.

10. A full supply of food products for the domestic market with exports limited to surpluses.

11. The introduction of food coupons for meat and meat products (until the market stabilizes).

12. The abolition of commercial prices and sales for Western currencies in the so-called internal export companies.

13. Selection of management personnel on the basis of qualifications, not party membership, and elimination of privileges for the state police, security service, and party apparatus by equalization of family allowances and elimination of special sales, etc.

14. Reduction of the retirement age for women to 50 and for men to 55, or (regardless of age) after working for 30 years (for women) or 35 years (for men).

15. Bringing pensions and annuities of the old portfolio to the level currently paid.

16. Improving the working conditions of the health service, which will ensure full medical care for working people.

17. Assurances of a reasonable number of places in day-care centers and kindergartens for the children of working mothers.

18. Paid maternity leave for three years.

19. Shorter waiting time for apartments.

20. Raising the allowance from 40 zlotys to 100 zlotys as well as the increase of the separation allowance.

21. A day of rest on Saturday. Workers in the brigade system or round-the-clock jobs are to be compensated for the loss of free Saturdays with increased leave or other paid time off.