Trade unions: Polish shipbuilding isn't only Gdansk
During the heated political debate about Gdansk's future (see cover story, page 1), some comments have been made that all shipyards are in financial straits.
But that's not true for shipyards in Gdynia and Szczecin, according to union leaders.
"I have to state very clearly that I would not agree that all Polish shipyards are doing very badly," said Janusz Ćniadek, president of the Solidarity union in Gdynia. Rather, "the opposite is true. Polish shipbuilding is one of the few industries that could be really competitive within Europe."
To prevent Gdansk's troubles from casting a cloud over the other yards, union leaders have been moving to make sure that Gdansk is seen as a separate entity.
In this vein, the second Gdansk shipyard protest, held last Friday, was moved to Warsaw, away from the Baltic ports. This was done to emphasize the political nature of the protest, but also to minimize risks that foreign investors will back off from shipyards that are prospering, thinking all Polish shipyards are in trouble.
They were - six years ago. But today, two of the three are competing on the world market.
"In 1990, we faced nearly the same situation as Gdansk does today: blocked accounts, bankruptcy hanging in the air," Ćniadek said. With an "enormous effort" by both employees and managers, work continued on five ships. Debts skyrocketed, but Gdynia ultimately was one of the first to use the 1993 bank restructuring law to do debt-writedowns and debt-equity swaps while going private.
Andrzej Buczkowski, brought in then as commercial director, recalled: "We made it plain we're all in this together, or else we'll fail." The effort succeeded.
Today's 8,000-strong workforce is 2,000 higher than at the depth of the crisis. Gdynia currently has 38 contracts for container ships worth $1.3 billion on the order books. It will deliver 10 this year, 13 next year and 16 in 1998. It has financed them by getting owners to advance money as construction proceeds, with banks syndicating loan guarantees - 14 so far, from $22 million to $35 million each.
Both Gdynia and Szczecin are also moving to emulate Korean-Japanese construction methods of simultaneous rather than sequential work.
"It is much easier. The ship is open. There is higher quality. Access is better for workers," Buczkowski said. "But there is a need to have a very, very high level of pre-outfitting."
When this system is in place, along with a third working shift and new investment in computer designed systems, productivity should double, he said.
There is little leeway for taking in workers shed from Gdansk, however, no more than 350, at most, Buczkowski said.
But that's not true for shipyards in Gdynia and Szczecin, according to union leaders.
"I have to state very clearly that I would not agree that all Polish shipyards are doing very badly," said Janusz Ćniadek, president of the Solidarity union in Gdynia. Rather, "the opposite is true. Polish shipbuilding is one of the few industries that could be really competitive within Europe."
To prevent Gdansk's troubles from casting a cloud over the other yards, union leaders have been moving to make sure that Gdansk is seen as a separate entity.
In this vein, the second Gdansk shipyard protest, held last Friday, was moved to Warsaw, away from the Baltic ports. This was done to emphasize the political nature of the protest, but also to minimize risks that foreign investors will back off from shipyards that are prospering, thinking all Polish shipyards are in trouble.
They were - six years ago. But today, two of the three are competing on the world market.
"In 1990, we faced nearly the same situation as Gdansk does today: blocked accounts, bankruptcy hanging in the air," Ćniadek said. With an "enormous effort" by both employees and managers, work continued on five ships. Debts skyrocketed, but Gdynia ultimately was one of the first to use the 1993 bank restructuring law to do debt-writedowns and debt-equity swaps while going private.
Andrzej Buczkowski, brought in then as commercial director, recalled: "We made it plain we're all in this together, or else we'll fail." The effort succeeded.
Today's 8,000-strong workforce is 2,000 higher than at the depth of the crisis. Gdynia currently has 38 contracts for container ships worth $1.3 billion on the order books. It will deliver 10 this year, 13 next year and 16 in 1998. It has financed them by getting owners to advance money as construction proceeds, with banks syndicating loan guarantees - 14 so far, from $22 million to $35 million each.
Both Gdynia and Szczecin are also moving to emulate Korean-Japanese construction methods of simultaneous rather than sequential work.
"It is much easier. The ship is open. There is higher quality. Access is better for workers," Buczkowski said. "But there is a need to have a very, very high level of pre-outfitting."
When this system is in place, along with a third working shift and new investment in computer designed systems, productivity should double, he said.
There is little leeway for taking in workers shed from Gdansk, however, no more than 350, at most, Buczkowski said.
