* Labour movement says Romney backed attacks on unions
* Romney meets ex-Solidarity leader Walesa in Gdansk
* Trip to Poland aimed at showing foreign policy credentials
* Gaffes marked earlier leg of Romney overseas tour
(Edits, updates with Romney heckled)
GDANSK, Poland, July 30 (Reuters) - Solidarity, the trade
union movement which led the Polish struggle against communist
rule, distanced itself on Monday from a visit to Poland by U.S.
presidential candidate Mitt Romney, saying he supported attacks
on unions in his own country.
Romney was in Poland on the third and final leg of a tour
aimed at burnishing his foreign policy credentials and
demonstrating that he would be a viable alternative to President
Barack Obama on the world stage.
Romney visited the Baltic port of Gdansk, cradle of
Solidarity which toppled Poland's communist government in the
late 1980s, where he met Lech Walesa, the shipyard electrician
who led the union movement during the struggle seen as the start
of the end of Soviet domination of eastern Europe.
"Regretfully, we were informed by our friends from the
American headquarters of (trade union federation) AFL-CIO, which
represents more than 12 million employees ... that Mitt Romney
supported attacks on trade unions and employees' rights,"
Solidarity said in a statement.
"Solidarity was not involved in organising Romney's meeting
with Walesa and did not invite him to visit Poland."
Romney has in the past complained about "union bosses" who
he said have donated large sums of money to Obama's re-election
campaign.
Romney is trying to avoid any further missteps after gaffes
during the first leg of his tour, in Britain, generated negative
newspaper headlines and criticism even from some of his own
supporters. He came to Poland from Israel, his second stop.
In Gdansk, Romney, who has called Poland's neighbour Russia
the top "geopolitical foe" of the United States, tried to show
that if elected president he would be a stronger ally to
Moscow-wary Poland than Obama.
The White House incumbent angered some Poles by making
conciliatory moves aimed at "re-setting" strained ties with the
Kremlin. Walesa, who was Polish president for five years in the
1990s, effectively endorsed Romney at their meeting.
"I wish you to be successful because this success is needed
for the United States of course, but for Europe and the rest of
the world too. Governor Romney, get your success. Be
successful," Walesa said.
Walesa ended his association with the Solidarity movement
several years ago following disputes over policy.
DIVIDED OPINION
Romney, a former governor of the U.S. state of
Massachusetts, also had a 45-minute meeting at the Gdansk Old
Town Hall with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Later, with his wife and son, Romney placed flowers at the
foot of a memorial to trade union activists killed by the
Moscow-backed communist authorities. There, Romney got a taste
of divided opinion about his candidacy.
"Good luck Mr Romney," a male onlooker shouted as the
Romneys walked back to their motorcade.
"Obama," a woman shouted.
"No, no more Obama," a man shouted.
"Obama," the woman insisted.
On Tuesday, the final day of his week-long foreign tour,
Romney is to give a speech in the capital, Warsaw, on liberty
and Washington's ties with Poland.
"The relationship that our countries have is very important
and it would be a high priority in a Romney administration,"
said a senior Romney campaign adviser.
However, it may prove difficult in Poland for Romney to draw
a sharp contrast with his Democratic rival in the presidential
election because Polish leaders enjoy fairly strong ties with
the Obama White House.
Solidarity is still known abroad because of its historic
role in the collapse of Communism and the fall of the Berlin
Wall. At home, it is now closely linked with Poland's biggest
opposition party, which promotes conservative social values.
(Additional reporting by Chris Borowski in Gdansk; Writing by
Christian Lowe and Steve Holland; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)