JOINT GROUP TO DRAW UP NEW PROPOSALS FOR CHANGES TO LABOUR ACT

ZAGREB, April 3 (Hina) - The Croatian government and employers accepted at a session of the Economic-Social Council (GSV) on Wednesday a union demand on the establishment of a joint working group to draw up new proposals for changes to the Labour Act, however, the unionists say they have not entirely given up the possibility of strike should the government keep insisting on a drastic reduction of workers' rights. #L# "We are going back to square one, where proposals by all social partners are fully equal," the president of the Croatian Association of Trade Unions (HUS), Zdenko Mucnjak, said after the session which lasted several hours. The working group, which should include five union representatives, three government officials and one employers' representative, should draw up the new proposals in the next two weeks. "It remains to be seen whether the government will insist on its proposals," Mucnjak said. The head of the Independent Croatian Trade Unions, Kresimir Sever, said the unionists would not refrain from protests and a general strike should the government try to trick its partners into accepting its proposals. (hina) rml