UNIONS FROM 7 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ASK FOR BAN ON WORK OF STORES ON SUNDAYS

ZAGREB, April 30 (Hina) - Trade unions of workers in the commercial sector in seven countries -- Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and Croatia -- have sent an appeal to leaders of the European Union to proclaim Sunday as the day of rest in the entire Europe, the leader of the Croatian trade union of workers in the commercial sector, Ana Knezevic, said on Friday.#L# The appeal, which has also been forwarded to the Vatican, is supported by the international federation of the commercial sector workers' unions, Knezevic told a news conference. Despite the recent decision of the Constitutional Court to revoke amendments to the Law on Commerce of last October which had banned the work of stores on Sundays, the Croatian union will call on the government to pass a law which would ban the work of stores on Sundays. The union will draw up its own proposal on the matter, too, following the example of the German legislation. "The work on Sundays in Croatia is not paid and employees did not get another day in the week off either. Fees which employers pay for failing to abide by legal provisions are so low that they openly admit that it cheaper for them to pay fines (of 3,000 kuna) rather than employees for their work," Knezevic said. Besides, workers are also forced to accept such conditions of employment because of a high unemployment rate. "If the Labour Act stipulates that on Sundays only what is absolutely necessary should work, there is no need for 20,000 stores to be opened," the unionist added. The trade union presented banners with the message "Let's Restrict Work On Sundays" which would be put up in the seven European countries tomorrow on the occasion of the International Labour Day (Hina) ms