Walentynowicz, Anna (1929–)

Polish labor leader. Name variations: (nickname) "Mala" (the little one). Born Anna Lubczyk in 1929 in Wolyn (Volhynia) province, Poland (now Ukraine); orphaned at 10 and ended formal education in 4th grade; m. Kazimierz Walentynowicz (locksmith at the shipyard), in 1964 (died 1973); children: son, Janusz.

Worker and labor leader at Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, whose firing (Aug 1980) triggered a massive strike movement leading directly to the birth of Solidarity and set in motion a process that brought about the end of Communist rule in Poland; found employment as a welder at Lenin Shipyard (1950); having complained that women workers were not receiving the same work incentives as the men (1953), was arrested and interrogated for 8 hours; compelled by health problems to give up her job as a welder (1965), became a crane operator; respected for honesty and outspokenness, gained a reputation throughout shipyard for activism on behalf of fellow workers; as a member of her division's workers' council, as well as of the division commission (which she chaired for a time), uncovered corruption by management; played significant role (Dec 1970), as one of the leaders of a strike that succeeded in shutting down the shipyard; was a member of the strikers' presidium that gained concessions for shipyard workers (Jan 1971); helped distribute illegal biweekly newspaper, Robotnik (The Worker, 1977–79), which published the Charter of Workers' Rights (Dec 1, 1979), signed by 107 intellectuals and workers, including Walentynowicz and Walesa, that is regarded as a major step toward the Solidarity movement; was fired from her job (Aug 9, 1980); was arrested and interned. Despite the crucial role played in the Solidarity movement by Walentynowicz and countless other women, they quickly found themselves marginalized once its male leadership achieved recognition as a legitimate political force.

See also Women in World History.