VUKOVAR, Feb 11 (Hina) - An association of some 3,500 former workers of the "Borovo" footwear factory, who are of Serb origin, demands of the company's management and Croatian authorities, that are the owner of "Borovo", to revoke a
1992 decision which the then management made firing those workers.
VUKOVAR, Feb 11 (Hina) - An association of some 3,500 former workers
of the "Borovo" footwear factory, who are of Serb origin, demands of
the company's management and Croatian authorities, that are the
owner of "Borovo", to revoke a 1992 decision which the then
management made firing those workers. #L#
The association also insists on the assessment of the value of the
company's assets and the figures should be used for the process of
the purchase of shares.
The association also pointed to the importance of the problem of
several thousand flats of Borovo, which were occupied by the
company's workers before the war, and which should be now
purchased, as other so-called social flats to those with tenancy
rights, the association's leader, Mirko Grahorac, said at a news
conference on Tuesday.
According to Grahorac, during the process of the peaceful
integration of eastern Croatia (which took place from 1995 to
1998), "an agreement was reached by representatives of the Croatian
government, UNTAES (UN mission in Slavonia and Baranja) and
representatives of Borovo (its part) under the Serb management that
all workers would be given assurances on the continuity of their
employment and on the rights they acquired during years of service,
but today this has not been respected."
Grahorac criticised the Borovo Management and competent state
authorities for, he said, the illegal division of Borovo employees
into two categories: one is composed of "those who were displaced
(mostly non-Serbs) and who received for some time, while living
outside Borovo, minimum compensation, and for the past 11 and a half
years contributions for their pension and health insurance have
been paid, although they have not worked; the other category are
workers who remained in Borovo and worked all the time, but who
received notices on the termination of their employment "according
to the decision of the Borovo management in exile".
Grahorac said his association had nothing against requests for
severance pays, on which the association of 2,320 displaced workers
insists asking the management to ensure funds for this purpose.
"We have nothing against their requests, but we also ask for the
protection of our rights," Grahorac said.
Before the war, the Borovo giant used to employ some 22,000 workers.
The war damage is assessed to be 300 million euros. Currently, some
1,300 workers are employed in the partly-reconstructed
manufacturing plants and the network of Borovo outlets.
(hina) ms sb