Monday, May. 23, 1988
World Notes POLAND
Marching behind a 10-ft. wooden crucifix, 500 workers last week ended their nine-day occupation of Gdansk's Lenin Shipyard -- and with it Poland's most serious outbreak of labor unrest in seven years. The strikers failed to win any of their demands, which included a 40% pay increase and recognition of the now banned Solidarity trade union. "We are not leaving the shipyard in triumph," declared the strike committee. "But we are leaving with our heads high."
Solidarity Leader Lech Walesa, who had feared that the workers' revolt was ill timed and had joined it only reluctantly, admitted that the finale amounted to a "step back." The government of General Wojciech Jaruzelski announced plans to speed up Poland's economic restructuring program. But in the sullen aftermath of the country's crushed labor rebellion, few expected the measures to make much difference.