UNION MEMBERSHIP ON INCREASE OVER LAST 4 YEARS

ZAGREB, Feb 23 (Hina) - Over the past four years the total number of union members has increased, but the biggest union federation -- the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) -- lost a significant number of members, while membership in other union federations has increased, read official data on the representation of unions.#L# Six Croatian union federations currently have over 460,000 members, while four years ago the then five federations had about 440,000 members, a tripartite commission comprising government, unions and employers' representatives said. The SSSH today has 211,000 members as against four years ago when it had 289,000 members which was almost two thirds of the overall union membership in Croatia. Despite those figures, the SSSH is still the most numerous union federation which gathers 46 percent of the workers organised in unions. The Independent Croatian Unions (NHS) follows with 87,000 members (19%). as against four years ago when it had 40,000 members. The Federation of Workers Unions of Croatia (URSH) has 52,000 members (11 percent) as against four years ago when it had 31,000 members. The Federation of Croatian unions of public servants has 49,000 members (11 percent). Four years ago the federation had 46,000 members. The Croatian Federation of Trade Unions (HUS) has 35,000 members (eights percent), in relation to four years ago when it had 32,000 members. The newly-established Union of Services Uni-Cro has 20,000 members (four percent) The counting of members was organised at the request of the Union of Services with an aim to establish the number of union representatives in tripartite bodies. This is not the overall number of union members in Croatia, because the counting of members did not include members of the autonomous unions outside of the six federations. (Hina) it sb