Polish steel workers vote on firing of their boss

A referendum on a proposal to fire the boss of Poland's biggest steel mill began Monday in the city of Katowice, Solidarity union officials said. Polling was to continue until midnight Tuesday to ensure that all 20,000 workers at the Huta Katowice mill had the opportunity to vote. Results will be announced September 15. Solidarity called the referendum after the manager refused to allow the union's work bulletin to be published after it was shut down for printing anti-Soviet material.

Authorities have denounced the referendum and are not likely to accept the result if the workers come out in favor of dismissing the manager.