Jewish trade unions: since the beginning of the workers’ movement, a separate Jewish trade unions have appeared. First unions were organised by Russian emigrants in France in the 1870’s for linguistic, religious reasons (a prohibition to work on Saturdays) and because of the Christian employers’ prejudices against Jews. The last issue was the chief concern of the Jewish trade unions in the 1920’s in Poland (the so-called ‘work ghetto’). In the 1930’s, during the economic crisis, trade unions organised self-aid by giving credits and loans. The biggest institution giving credits was Centrala Kas Bezprocentowych (Intetrest-free Banks Central). Centrala Związku Kupców (Central Association of Merchants) was the most powerful trade union, which supported a few trade schools. Trade unions were the area of rivalry between the workers’ trade unions, especially Bund and Poale Zion.
żydowskie związki zawodowe
The term was created within the framework of the project Zapisywanie świata żydowskiego w Polsce [recording the Jewish environment in Poland], whose author is Anka Grupińska, a well-known Polish journalist and writer, specializing in the modern history of the Polish Jews. The project, initiated in 2006 by the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, consists in recording interviews with Polish Jews from all generations.
