The head of the HNS club of deputies, Dragutin Lesar, called for stricter control and harsher penalties for employers as well as the prosecution of violations of collective work agreements.
Lesar was also against the proposal to ban Sunday work in shops only, stating that Sunday work was being tolerated in other branches of economy as well.
He claimed that a ban on Sunday work for shops would lead to the closure of the existing shops and the opening of new ones at train stations, in ports and at petrol stations.
He recalled that Croatia had had only one referendum so far, on independence, and asked why a referendum was not being called on more important topics, such as pension reform.
His party colleague, Antun Kapraljevic, said the government was proposing the referendum on Sunday work for fear of the influence of the Catholic Church.