The reforms

Despite a certain unease between the Solidarity union and its political wing, the Solidarity Elections Action (AWS) the union has decided that it will not put forth its own candidate for the next presidential election. Marian Krzaklewski, the leader of both the union and the party, stated that the union will leave this decision to the political arm, who will put forth a candidate six months prior to the election and then conduct a vigorous campaign. The AWS will be assembling its convention shortly in Wladyslawowo and, reportedly, former President Lech Walesa, current Premier Jerzy Buzek and Krzaklewski are on the short-list for nomination. Solidarity union spokesman Kajus Augustyniak called on conservative parties to consolidate their support behind a single presidential candidate. Union activists claim that the congress will focus on internal union matters, such as the development of a long term strategy rather than any election breakthrough. The reforms introduced by the Solidarity Elections Action - Freedom Union (AWS-UW) coalition have created certain difficulties between the union and its party, however, but Krzaklewski maintains that Solidarity has been attaining its goals, pointing to the impending introduction of a five-day work week - which was first demanded by Gdansk shipyard workers in the 1980s. President Aleksander Kwasniewski signed the amended labor and co-operative bills into law last week. Under the new labor law, maternity leave will be extended by four weeks, leave after a first childbirth will last 20 weeks, while multiple-birth mothers will be eligible for up to 30 weeks. The amended co-operative law foresees automatic heritage of residence rights to marital homes by widowed spouses.