Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1989. január-június (43. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1989-06-22 / 25. szám
Thursday, June 22. 1989. 11. Hungary’s workers ‘slip away’ to form free trade unions It's springtime in Budapest for free trade unions as Hungarian workers are slipping away from government controlled labor organizations to form their own democratic unions. Public support is on the upswing for the emerging free unions, said. Tibor Vidos, a representative of Hungary's fledgling Democratic League of Trades Unions, during a visit to the United States and Canada. With the support and assistance of unionists in the Western World, this is the season for Hungary's independent union to blossom fully, Vidos said Political and economic reforms are on the horizon, he noted. It's not that hardliners in the Communist Party are ready to abandon their ideology, it's merely a matter of pragmatism. With Hungary's economy in shambles and worker discontent mounting, the communist government has relaxed its ban on independent organizing. Vidos's union, the Democratic Trade Union of Scientific Workers (TDDSz), was organized in May 1988 and has grown to membership of 4.500, representing researchers, academics and professional workers. It is the first free trade union formed in a communist bloc country since the founding of Poland's Solidarity in the early 1980s. There are now eight independent unions that make up the Democratic League. Although the membership totals ten thousand, Vidos said the growth potential is great. A particular need of Hungary's free unions is technical assistance to help organize new members and to administer their operations. The concept of collective bargaining is still unknown to Hungary's workers. (FROM THE AFL-CIO NEWS) The fashion-show, accompanied by music was organized by Hungarocoop, the cooperatives foreign trading company. The young "actors" and "actresses" symbolizing days of the four seasons were playing happily in their various clothes representing the company's range of children's clothes made for export. Hungarocoop was granted independent export rights in 1968, at the time when the new economic reform was launched It was established by SZOVOSZ and OKISZ, the national organizations and the private sector, with the aim of promoting the exports of these sectors. Hungarocoop was first established for widening the choice available, but its scope of activity was gradually extended in line with the development of the cooperative industry. Since its first year, its turnover has increased eightfold, its western exports twentyfold, and sales to socialist countries threefold. In 1987 western exports amounted to over 100 million dollars, and sales to roublemarkets totalled nearly 300 million roubles. Exports to western countries are mainly light industry products, within which textile clothing takes the largest share amounting to some 50 million dollars a year. Hungary is also a traditional exporter of sports shoes, sports clothes, bags, camping equipment and wooden household products, but exports of agricultural produce and foodstuffs are also very considerable. Hungarocoop is in touch with about 400 internal partners 200 of which are industrial cooperatives and 59 are consumers' cooperatives. Its foreign partners number over 500 in 34 western and 11 socialist countries. Hungarocoop has had prosperous cooperation agreements with the Triumph, Adidas and the Salamander companies for many years. It has made great efforts to organize production to order in Hungary. A number of economic associations were formed in 1987 and 1988, all of which received support and financial resources for their operation from Hungarocoop. The recently established "SK-12" joint venture company, whose objective is to increase sales of textile clothing to Western Europe, was sent up'by the Federal German Optimex GmbH, the "Ciklámen" Cooperative based in the western town of Sopron and Hungarocoop. Hungarocoop is extending its network outside Hungary, In addition to the already operating agencies in Federal Republic of Germany, in Moscow, in Bratislava and in Berlin, new offices were started in 1988 in New York, in Belgrade and in Prague. Talks on establishing a joint venture agency, based in Vienna, are already well under waY" Maria Murai On the occasion of the 177th anniversary of the birth of Ferenc Liszt, Liszt Record Grand Prizes were awarded to the British Decca firm. Julian Harvey, representative of the British Council in Hungary received the award. SUCCESSES OF CONSUMER ELECTRONICS IN HUNGARY The considerable development of audiovisual communication media in Hungary is the result of attention the Hungarian electronic industry pays to thedevelopment and production of new machines. Videoton is one of Hungary's most important industrial enterprises. Its production program is expanding, thanks in large degree to licences and cooperation with foreign partners, Characteristic for the enterprise's strategy is also its orientation to the foreign market. The firm offers black-and white and color TV sets, videotape cassettes and a number of radio sets - from car radios to hi-fi equipment. In 1988 it began serial production of a new series of colored television sets developed together with the French firm Thomson. These sets, equipped with microprocessors, can be used - with slight alterations- for different standards and have built-in equipment to receive satellite transmissions. In 1987 Videoton began serial production of videotape recorders. The basis for these is a cooperation agreement with the Japanese firm, Akai. The machine will be used in the first phase to supply the Hungarian domestic market. In 1989-90 Videoton intends to begin production of CD-disks, and the machines to play them on, with a laser scanner system. They are earmarked for both the Hungarian market and export. Videoton signed an agreement with a Soviet partner to manufacture a CD-disk reproducer. It is expected that the machines intended for the Soviet market will be assembled in the USSR. Videoton established a joint enterprise to produce CD-disks with, among others, Kroll of West Germany and Philips. The production of CD-disks is to be two million annually at first and later to expand to six million disks. (From the Democratic Journalist) MENU CARD ON BOARD On MALÉV flights longer than 2 hours, passengers in the Comfort Class are handed a menu card in Hungarian, English, French or Russian, depending on the route. What awaits you on the Budapest-Paris flight? Ham roll with stuffed egg, a plate of cold-cuts, sour cherry strudel, cheese and fruit; between Paris and Budapest the menu consists of goose liver a la Lyonnaise, Hawaiian turkey breast, sacher törte, cheese and fruit. Aperitifs are served with every meal, as are choice Hungarian white and red wines, Hungarian lager, sparkling wines and soft drinks and coffee and tea. Editor's Note: We thought we'd show our readers examples of airline food that are better than what we are used to. THE USE OF HAND WASHING If you wash your hands meal after meal, Yours will be a double gain. Your palm will be clean and sharper your sight, Your health will be longer kept right. / AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO
