Wildcatting being nipped, Polish Solidarity reports

Poland's free trade union Solidarity is making progress in curbing wildcat strikes which, its leaders said, risk losing popular support. Solidarity leaders met Tuesday to discuss rules and disciplinary measures to prevent wildcat actions. The Polish Sejm (parliament) has demanded an immediate end to strikes and warned it could give the government emergency powers.

Union leader Lech Walesa intervened to end one strike of hundreds of thousands of workers in southern Poland, and he says he's confident he will be able to end sporadic local strikes. But some involving a total of 180,000 workers are still under way.