노동자 없는 노동조합

Soviet’s Trade Union without Labor’s Supports

Solidarity, a trade union founded in 1980 in Poland, is well known for its contribution to facilitating democratization process during Poland’s systemic transformation. In contrast, the foundation of solidarity in the Soviet Union two years earlier has largely remained unnoticed. Its role to reform the country was so insignificant that even its existence sounds new to perhaps many of us. During the economic downturn in 70s, escalating anxiety among laborers resulted in numerous strikes throughout the country. Despite the tough circumstances back then, the trade union failed to make the workers’ voice heard as it had become practically one of the government agencies. Against the back drop, lay-off employees began relying supports from working people to build an independent labor organization. Unfortunately, the first solidarity by the laborers was cracked down by a government red-bait immediately after its formation. Their outrageous attempts, though, lead the dissident activists to find it an effective way of fighting the communist government. The solidarity restarted under the flag of Solidarity Confederation. In pursuit of a perfect democracy, the new organization was decided to consist of multiple independent groups. The association took on cases where workers’ rights were invaded to publish a samizdat-like magazine namely Solidarity Confederation Bulletin. The alliance would not reach out far enough to receive strong support from broad range of working class, though, by clearly exposing the fundamental defection when a labor-built country fails to protect the rights that working people deserve. This whole process in tum helped provoke Perestroika aiming economic and political reforms.