ZAGREB, April 16 (Hina) - A working group including government officials, employers and union representatives on Tuesday failed to reach agreement on draft changes to the Labour Act, union sources said.
ZAGREB, April 16 (Hina) - A working group including government
officials, employers and union representatives on Tuesday failed
to reach agreement on draft changes to the Labour Act, union sources
said. #L#
Legal experts, who were to reach agreement on the draft changes and
submit them to the Economic-Social Council, will meet on Thursday
again and adopt conclusions, a union source told Hina.
Today's meeting, which was organised by the government's Social
Partnership Office, was held behind closed doors.
The unionists claim that, contrary to a previous agreement, the
working group did not discuss the most contentious issues -
severance pays, the period of notice and the definition of the small
entrepreneur.
Instead of that, advisors at the Office tried to convince us,
presenting data from other countries, that cutting down workers'
rights is necessary to make the economy competitive, the source
said.
The unions therefore believe that the government is trying to
"water down" the talks in order to have its proposals on the
reduction of workers' rights adopted more easily.
The agreement on the establishment of the working group was
achieved at a GSV session two weeks ago. Before the session, union
representatives threatened with a general strike if the government
did not withdraw its proposals on reducing severance pays and
shortening the period of notice.
Explaining that those were not official proposals but rather
starting points for a discussion, the government did not withdraw
its proposals, but it did accept a union request that a joint
working group define completely new starting points for a debate on
changes to the Labour Act.
Without waiting for the results of the working group, four union
federations yesterday announced a rally for May 1 in protest
against the government's policy of reducing workers' rights.
The unions will tomorrow hold a news conference about the protest
and the results of the working group.
The Council of Croatian Public Service Workers Unions will not join
in the protest as it believes that there are not enough reasons for
such an action.
(hina) rml