Gdansk Shipyards

Last Monday (August 20), we were in Gdansk and spent the late afternoon walking around Solidarity Square at the entrance to the famous Gdansk Shipyards (Polish name: Stocznia Gdańsk S.A.).

It wasn't a time of day when there were many workers there or even tourists walking around the square. That added to the ominous feel on a cloudy day as we walked around looking at plaques honoring those who had stood against the communist government in the early 1980's.

The current condition of the Shipyards was part of the discussion. The workers strikes of the 1980's were to gain better conditions. In its success in helping to bring down the communist government, it is ironic that the Shipyards under democracy are struggling to survive and employ only a fraction of the workers.

I knew that the European Union was looking at the subsidies that the Shipyards were receiving. Here is an article that describes a proposal that is currently being worked on to prevent it from becoming bankrupt.

Iconic Gdansk shipyard seeks rescue

Poland's Gdansk shipyard, the birthplace of the anti-communist Solidarity movement, has submitted a last-ditch rescue plan to the European Union to prevent its closure.

The European Commission set a deadline of today for the yard to submit proposals on cutting capacity, and thus avoid having to repay state subsidies that could trigger its bankruptcy.

In 1980, what were known as the "Lenin Shipyards" in Gdansk became the birthplace of the Solidarity union which helped bring about the fall of communism in Poland and the Soviet Union.

Full article

Previous related post with some of my pictures: Solidarity 1980