ZAGREB, Jan 12 (Hina) - Leaders of Croatian union federations will hold a meeting on Monday to agree on joint actions to be taken so as to show workers' resistance towards announced changes of the Labour Law. Unionists also mull a
possibility of a general strike, which will be the first strike of this kind in Croatia's history.
ZAGREB, Jan 12 (Hina) - Leaders of Croatian union federations will
hold a meeting on Monday to agree on joint actions to be taken so as
to show workers' resistance towards announced changes of the Labour
Law. Unionists also mull a possibility of a general strike, which
will be the first strike of this kind in Croatia's history. #L#
The general strike over cuts in of workers' rights which are
envisaged in the law's amendments, may be organised in February
while the parliament should discuss the changes proposed by the
government.
Union leaders expect that over one half million workers are likely
to go on general strike.
Before staging the strike, unions are willing to wait some time for
the government to withdraw contentious draft amendments to the
Labour Law.
"We believe that there will be no need to organise the general
strike, and that the government may be sensitive enough to abandon
the draft amendments, and to finally start sincerely negotiating
with unions," said Ivan Tomac, deputy president of the Federation
of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH).
The government has proposed reductions in the severance pays,
shorter periods of notice, equal conditions for part-time
employment and full-time permanent employment and higher numbers
of those who can get jobs with small businesses (according to
unions, small businessmen can easier sack workers).
The Croatian unions assert that in such proposals the government is
only following orders of the International Monetary Fund and the
World Bank.
(hina) ms