Workers Solidarity Movement

Brief report from 3 of us who went to the anarchist bookfair in Poznan at the start of MayWe flew into Warsaw on Tuesday 1st May and met with members of Polish FA Praga section. They reported a small Mayday march. The people we met with had recently formed an Anarcho-Syndicalist grouping called the Polish Syndicalist Union (we have some copies of the first issue of their paper). They were set up in opposition to the Workers' Initiative Union, a syndicalist union set up by anarchists, which is arguably going in a more reformist direction. The Union of Syndicalists seem to be quite strict anarcho-syndicalists and were being visited by a member of the Serbian affiliate of the IWA while we were there.

Leaving Warsaw on Wednesday morning, we came to Rozbrat squat in Poznan. This is the oldest squat in Poland, founded 13 years ago, and is active as an alternative culture social centre as well as having political activities. It is home to an excellent Anarchist library and archive and is used as a meeting space for FA Poznan.

We arrived one day after the 3-day Anarchist Bookfair had started and were a little bit disappointed with the turnout ( though, apparently, there were a lot of people there for the opening day on 1st May). We sold quite few pamphlets and only one book but we did an exchange of magazines, pamphlets and books with Troika, the Polish Anarchist publishing house. Troika is interested in cooperating with WSM bookservice and members expressed an interest in travelling to our Bookfair next year. (http://trojka.scenaonline.org)

We also met with some comrades who had split from Polish FA Szczecin branch and intend to set up the first Polish platformist organisation. We were treated with enormous hospitality in both Poznan and Warsaw and would like to express thanks to everyone for the welcome.