ZAGREB, June 18 (Hina) - A referendum at which trade unions are to establish if negotiations on changes to the Labour Act were successful is drawing towards its end, but it caused division among union leaders even before it actually
started.
ZAGREB, June 18 (Hina) - A referendum at which trade unions are to
establish if negotiations on changes to the Labour Act were
successful is drawing towards its end, but it caused division among
union leaders even before it actually started. #L#
The three-day referendum, which ends today, was organised jointly
by four of five union federations in cooperation with autonomous
unions. The unions planned joint action in case their members
negatively assessed the result of talks with the government and
employers.
However, it appears that the results will not be released jointly.
Two union federations, the Association of Workers' Trade Unions of
Croatia (URSH) and the Croatian Association of Trade Unions (HUS),
and autonomous unions decided to release their results
separately.
URSH and HUS leaders Boris Kunst and Zdenko Mucnjak agreed to
forward to the parliament joint amendments to the law. Depending on
the outcome of the referendum, they will organise protests and call
on other federations to join them.
Davor Juric, president of the largest federation, the Federation of
Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH), said that a decision on
whether to release referendum results independently or together
with other federations would be made once the referendum was
completed.
On the other hand, the Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS), the
second largest federation headed by Kresimir Sever, believes that
regardless of the dispute that has arisen, the results of the
referendum should be released jointly, after which union action
should be launched if so required.
According to an earlier agreement, the referendum is considered
valid if two-thirds, i.e. at least 300,000 union members,
participate. The results are binding if more than a half of union
members participate in the vote.
So far, around 95 percent of URSH members have participated in the
referendum and 75 percent are dissatisfied with the negotiations,
the union reported on Wednesday afternoon.
The dispute between the unions arose when the NHS sent its members,
along with a jointly agreed leaflet calling on union members to
participate in the referendum, a separate pamphlet which the SSSH
said suggested that the negotiations should not be supported.
The Council of Croatian Public Service Workers Unions is not taking
part in the referendum because it believes that in relation to a
previous proposal, the latest negotiations on amendments to the
Labour Act do represent progress.
Unions believe that the bill drastically diminishes their rights.
The amendments to the Labour Act and a package of six supporting
laws, including a law on the payment of workers' claims in case
their employer goes bankrupt, was forwarded to the Sabor by the
government last Thursday.
(hina) sp rml