Ethnic Russians Win Point, Halt Estonian Strike
Ethnic Russian workers in Estonia suspended a five-day strike and returned to work today, having won a promise that their grievances about the Baltic republic’s nationalistic renaissance will be studied.
“We have suspended the strike for the period of negotiations but this does not mean that it has ended,” a Russian at the strike committee said.
The strike by about 10,000 Russian workers had disrupted work at two Tallinn shipyards, the Soviet Aeroflot airliner office and about 15 plants.
The ethnic Russians, who make up 27% of Estonia’s 1.5 million people, have demanded Estonian assurances that their rights will not be submerged in a growing wave of Estonian nationalism.
Sought Election Revisions
The Russian strikers had demanded revision of a draft election law setting residency requirements for voting and for the holding of public office in Estonia. They also demanded annulment of a law making it mandatory to learn Estonian.
Estonian Radio reporters said a commission from Estonia’s Communist Party was formed to study the Russians’ demands.
On Thursday, Estonia and the other Baltic republics of Latvia and Lithuania won economic autonomy, freeing themselves from Moscow’s control in the first relaxation of the Soviet centrally planned economy in 60 years.
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