Rural Solidarity

Rural Solidarity

Independent Self-Governing Trade Union of Individual Farmers "Solidarity"
Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Rolników Indywidualnych "Solidarność"
Formation	1980 (Created) 12 May 1981 (Legalized)
Type	Trade union center
Location	Poland
President	Tomasz Obszański
Secretary	Łukasz Zbonikowski
Affiliations	Solidarity
Website	www.solidarnoscri.pl

Rural Solidarity (full name Independent Self-governing Trade Union of Individual Farmers "Solidarity") is a trade union of Polish farmers, established in late 1980 as part of the growing Solidarity movement. Its legalization became possible on February 19, 1981, when officials of the government of the People's Republic of Poland signed the so-called Rzeszów - Ustrzyki Dolne Agreement with striking farmers. Previously, Communist government had refused farmers’ right to self-organize, which caused widespread strikes, with the biggest wave taking place in January 1981. The Rural Solidarity was officially recognized on May 12, 1981,^[1][2] and, strongly backed by the Catholic Church of Poland, it claimed to represent at least half of Poland's 3.2 million smallholders.^[3]