ZAGREB, Sept 4 (Hina) - Workers' unions in public and state-owned companies on Wednesday refused a government proposal on the purchase of company shares under favourable conditions, and requested that purchase terms agreed on with the
former HDZ-led government be applied in the privatisation of those companies.
ZAGREB, Sept 4 (Hina) - Workers' unions in public and state-owned
companies on Wednesday refused a government proposal on the
purchase of company shares under favourable conditions, and
requested that purchase terms agreed on with the former HDZ-led
government be applied in the privatisation of those companies. #L#
In an annex to the social agreement "Partnership for Development",
the government offered a 15 percent discount on shares plus an
additional 0.25 percent discount per year of service.
The unions demand a 20 percent discount plus one percent for every
year of service, which the Federation of Independent Trade Unions
of Croatia (SSSH) agreed on with the HDZ government in December
1998.
"We will fight with all legal means to keep the current right of
workers to buy shares under favourable terms," reads a statement by
several post and telecommunications, railway, and power industry
unions.
Due to the unions' dissatisfaction with its proposal, the
government removed from the agenda of its last session the adoption
of the contentious annex on privatisation and restructuring.
The government included in the annex, which a joint working group
had prepared several months, the union request that the right to the
purchase of shares under favourable conditions be also given to
former employees of state and public companies.
Under the government proposal, seven percent of a company's shares
will be offered to employees under favourable terms and each
employee will be able to buy shares amounting to 75,000 kuna at the
most.
(hina) rml sb