1981 Warning Strike in Poland - Aftermath

Aftermath

After four hours, at midday, the sirens across the country sounded and Poland went back to work. The magnitude of the strike shocked the leadership of the Polish Communist party, especially when it turned out that members of the party had universally participated in it (at that time, Solidarity had some 9 million members, but 12-14 million people took part in the strike). Meanwhile, Lech Wałęsa's advisors, such as Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Bronisław Geremek and representatives of the Catholic Church, told the leader of Solidarity that the general strike, planned for March 30, would mean civil war and the risk was too high. Diplomats from Western countries were also aware of the tense situation in Poland; therefore, military attaches from the United Kingdom, the United States and West Germany were ordered not to leave Poland. In case of a Soviet invasion of Poland, the Americans were planning a military blockade of Cuba.

On March 28, 1981, Lech Wałęsa, together with a delegation of Solidarity, met Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. The Primate appealed to them to act with moderation. Two days later, the government of Poland reached the so-called Warsaw Agreement with Solidarity. The Communists conceded to demands regarding police brutality, but the agreement to legalize Rural Solidarity was postponed, as well as further steps on the issue of political prisoners. The government acknowledged its mishandling of the Bydgoszcz events, and in return, Lech Wałęsa agreed to postpone the general strike.