Workers’ strikes and demonstrations in Sanok from 1919 to 1933

Abstract

This study presents some aspects of the nature and course of workers’ protests at Sanok’s largest industrial plant, the Wagon Factory, in the years 1919–1933. The paper discusses the main causes of strikes and workers’ protests. The most important reasons were economic difficulties, but also political, social, and sometimes ethnic divisions among protesting workers and the unemployed. The study draws attention to the effects of the crisis in terms of reduced production, mass layoffs and a deterioration in the employees’ standard of living. The paper discusses the measures taken by local authorities to reduce conflicts between management and factory workers and shows state intervention to improve business conditions as insufficient. The Sanok factory became an important center of the workers’ movement and trade union activity in the mentioned period.