UNIONS INSIST ON WITHDRAWAL OF GOVT'S AMENDMENTS TO LABOUR LAW

ZAGREB, Jan 13 (Hina) - Five union federations on Monday asked the Croatian government to withdraw draft amendments to the Labour Law until 24 January at the latest, or they would organise a general strike and protest rallies. #L# Leaders of the five union federations, who met on Monday, demand that Premier Ivica Racan attend a session of the Economic and Social Council (GSV), scheduled for 24 January. Unionists are ready to organise all forms of industrial action in order to show their opposition to the proposed changes of the said law. Besides the possibility of a general strike announced for February, unions would stage a central protest rally in St. Mark's square in Zagreb, where the main offices of the Croatian government and parliament are located. For this purpose, the unions on Monday set up a strike committee including representatives of all union federations. The government amendments which have provoked the most opposition include the reduction of severance pays, shorter periods of notice, equal conditions for part-time and full-time employment and increasing the number of those who can get jobs in small businesses (according to unions, small businessmen can easier sack workers). "The unions must not allow the government to push such a law for the sake of the working class and our children's future," said a deputy president of the Federation of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH), Ivan Tomac. The Independent Croatian Unions (NHS) president, Kresimir Sever, asserted that the changes would have a long-term effect on the workers' rights and called for workers' unity. The president of the Federation of Workers' Unions of Croatia (URSH), Boris Kunst, added that the government was yielding to the pressure exerted by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. (hina) ms