The Gdansk Agreement (the August Agreement)

It was the first significant social contract between the people and the Communist government. It was signed in the Lenin Shipyards of Gdansk on the 31st of August 1980.

In 1980, Poland, even with a high economic growth rate, was in a bad economic situation. Mostly because of the burden of paying off its debts. Moreover, the centrally planned economy wasn’t efficient. But the spate of strikes in the Lenin Shipyards of Gdansk was a fact that popular opposition activist Anna Walentynowich was fired just few months before her retirement. Under the influence of a leader like Lech Walesa, many shipyard workers went on strike. Soon many other companies joined and the strike spread nationwide. In the end, after 15 days of strikes, the Gdansk Agreement was signed.

You can learn more about the Gdansk Agreement during The Solidarity Route of Gdansk – the Lech Walesa Tour

https://tourguideservicegdansk.com/tours/the-solidarity-route-of-gdansk-the-lech-walesa-tour/