Shipyard bankruptcy prompts charges of "revenge"
Proponents of the vote blamed Kaczmarek for blocking attempts to restructure the beleaguered shipyard. Railing against the prospect of liquidating the birthplace of the Solidarity Union, the opposition said the move was "political revenge" on the part of the ruling socialist Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) party.
The legislative move followed an outcry by the Solidarity Union, which staged a 48-hour occupation strike at the shipyard last week. The union has said it will protest the shipyard's closure around the country.
"We plan a large demonstration in Warsaw for June 21," said Piotr Zak, a Solidarity press spokesman.
The shipyard is a politically potent symbol as the formation of Solidarity there in 1980 marked the creation of the first free-trade union in the communist bloc. The union is given credit for creating a viable opposition that played a key role in bringing down communism.
Kaczmarek countered his opponents by attributing the company's precarious position to bad management, a lack of restructuring programs and highly unfavorable, loss-bearing contracts. He also argued that Solidarity-backed management failed for four years to adopt reforms and to reduce the shipyard's workforce.
"So far, all the restructuring programs were abandoned," Kaczmarek said during a press conference. As an alternative, he pointed to the Szczecin and Gdynia shipyards, which after implementing rigid restructuring programs, have found sounder economic footing.
The decision on Saturday June 8 by the State Treasury, which holds 60% of the Gdansk Shipyard, to declare the company bankrupt caps off four years of financial problems at the enterprise. Employees hold the remaining 40% of the shares.
The shipyard has racked up losses during these years and accumulated ever-increasing debts. In 1995, the company posted a zl. 150 million ($56.6 million) loss, while debts climbed to zl. 350 million ($132 million).
The government tried at the beginning of this year to find outside investors for the shipyard, but failed. Prospective suitors said they were not interested unless the debts and 7,000-strong workforce were trimmed.
In its move to seek bankruptcy, the government has called for the shipyard to exist for 12 months, giving it time to finish orders on the books.
But the shipyard's management tried a tactic of its own, applying to the economic court in Gdansk to establish a new company called "Nowa Stocznia Gdanska Sp. z o.o.", or New Gdansk Shipyard, which would lease 60% of the present assets for ten years. The managers believe the new shipyard, employing 3,000 workers out of the present 7,000, will be able to show profits by the end of 1997.
The government has not bought onto this plan, however.
"The bankruptcy is the only way to the company's restructuring," said Kaczmarek. This is the only way to reach a settlement with creditors and to change the orders' portfolio, he added.
As the two sides debate if and how to wind down the shipyard, others on both sides prepared for the inevitable layoffs.
"Right now we have two priorities," said Solidarity's Zak. "To protect as many job places as possible and find new jobs for those who will be redundant. During the next days the union will hold talks with all authorities."
And on Friday, Labor Minister Andrzej Bczkowski said the ministry will start a special program to find new jobs, some in other parts of the country, for axed workers.
"The ministry is ready to cover accommodation and traveling costs," he said. "We only wait for detailed information from the company management."
The minister added that on Monday a special desk will be set up in the shipyard providing workers with information about possible new jobs.
The legislative move followed an outcry by the Solidarity Union, which staged a 48-hour occupation strike at the shipyard last week. The union has said it will protest the shipyard's closure around the country.
"We plan a large demonstration in Warsaw for June 21," said Piotr Zak, a Solidarity press spokesman.
The shipyard is a politically potent symbol as the formation of Solidarity there in 1980 marked the creation of the first free-trade union in the communist bloc. The union is given credit for creating a viable opposition that played a key role in bringing down communism.
Kaczmarek countered his opponents by attributing the company's precarious position to bad management, a lack of restructuring programs and highly unfavorable, loss-bearing contracts. He also argued that Solidarity-backed management failed for four years to adopt reforms and to reduce the shipyard's workforce.
"So far, all the restructuring programs were abandoned," Kaczmarek said during a press conference. As an alternative, he pointed to the Szczecin and Gdynia shipyards, which after implementing rigid restructuring programs, have found sounder economic footing.
The decision on Saturday June 8 by the State Treasury, which holds 60% of the Gdansk Shipyard, to declare the company bankrupt caps off four years of financial problems at the enterprise. Employees hold the remaining 40% of the shares.
The shipyard has racked up losses during these years and accumulated ever-increasing debts. In 1995, the company posted a zl. 150 million ($56.6 million) loss, while debts climbed to zl. 350 million ($132 million).
The government tried at the beginning of this year to find outside investors for the shipyard, but failed. Prospective suitors said they were not interested unless the debts and 7,000-strong workforce were trimmed.
In its move to seek bankruptcy, the government has called for the shipyard to exist for 12 months, giving it time to finish orders on the books.
But the shipyard's management tried a tactic of its own, applying to the economic court in Gdansk to establish a new company called "Nowa Stocznia Gdanska Sp. z o.o.", or New Gdansk Shipyard, which would lease 60% of the present assets for ten years. The managers believe the new shipyard, employing 3,000 workers out of the present 7,000, will be able to show profits by the end of 1997.
The government has not bought onto this plan, however.
"The bankruptcy is the only way to the company's restructuring," said Kaczmarek. This is the only way to reach a settlement with creditors and to change the orders' portfolio, he added.
As the two sides debate if and how to wind down the shipyard, others on both sides prepared for the inevitable layoffs.
"Right now we have two priorities," said Solidarity's Zak. "To protect as many job places as possible and find new jobs for those who will be redundant. During the next days the union will hold talks with all authorities."
And on Friday, Labor Minister Andrzej Bczkowski said the ministry will start a special program to find new jobs, some in other parts of the country, for axed workers.
"The ministry is ready to cover accommodation and traveling costs," he said. "We only wait for detailed information from the company management."
The minister added that on Monday a special desk will be set up in the shipyard providing workers with information about possible new jobs.
