Unions at Szczecin shipyard to organize strike ballot

Three out of five trade unions at Stocznia Szczecinska have announced that a ballot will be held Wednesday and Thursday to seek support among shipyard workers for a strike. The strike would be led by the Solidarnosc, Solidarnosc 80 and Wybrzeze 95 unions in protest against the imposition of new pay regulations. Since October 1 of this year, workers' salaries have been divided into two parts; "basic pay", which is 80% of the previous total pay, and "incentive pay", the remaining 20%. Shipyard employees have been further incensed by a decision to divide this month's pay into two installments and delay the second payment until the end of the month. Explaining its decision, the shipyard's management said it was the result of difficulties caused by the world economic slowdown, dumping by Korean shipyards, and subsidies paid to West European shipyards. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B4) M.T.