Polish president commemorates Piast miner’s strike
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Andrzej Duda was in Bieruń on Thursday to honour the memory of a strike by miners that took place 35 years ago, and was, he said, significant in the Polish people’s struggle against the former communist regime. “In the face of threats and repression, miners decided to take this step [and thus] made great displays of patriotism and solidarity. This was the longest lasting underground strike and the longest underground protest in postwar mining. Neither the intransigent attitude of the authorities, nor the news of the pacification of mines, could weaken the resolve of the strikers,” Duda wrote in a press release.
The strike at the Piast mine, which began on December 14, 1981, was conducted in response to the Polish government’s imposition of Martial Law. Reportedly, it began when one miner, Stanisław Trybus, jumped on a bench and declared that he wasn’t leaving the mine until the government lifted its severe restrictions. His action inspired 1,000 other miners to remain underground to voice their support for the opposition Solidarity movement. They did so until December 28, when the government guaranteed their safety upon returning above ground.
