ZAGREB, Jan 10 (Hina) - The government, unions and employers will next Monday start negotiations on the wage policy for the next three years, it was agreed at a meeting of government and union representatives on Wednesday. It was also
agreed that termination deadlines for collective agreements in the public and state sectors should last until an agreement on the wage policy is reached, First Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic said. This is a temporary compromise on the government conclusion of December 22 last year, which practically froze salaries and announced the cancellation of collective agreements in the public and state sectors. The unions have demanded the withdrawal of the conclusion, threatening to stage protest rallies if their demand was not met. The agreement on the wage policy for the next three years should secure an adequate level of financial and social security of workers and a projectio
ZAGREB, Jan 10 (Hina) - The government, unions and employers will
next Monday start negotiations on the wage policy for the next three
years, it was agreed at a meeting of government and union
representatives on Wednesday.
It was also agreed that termination deadlines for collective
agreements in the public and state sectors should last until an
agreement on the wage policy is reached, First Deputy Prime
Minister Goran Granic said.
This is a temporary compromise on the government conclusion of
December 22 last year, which practically froze salaries and
announced the cancellation of collective agreements in the public
and state sectors. The unions have demanded the withdrawal of the
conclusion, threatening to stage protest rallies if their demand
was not met.
The agreement on the wage policy for the next three years should
secure an adequate level of financial and social security of
workers and a projection of the future economic development and
accelerated employment, the head of the Economic and Social
Council, Vitomir Begovic, said.
The unions demand that the agreement determine the lowest wage and
the minimum wage, provide for the selective adjustment of salaries
according to branches, as well as that salary growth depend on the
growth of Gross Domestic product and productivity. They also
believe the development of salaries should be adjusted to the
policy of prices and employment.
An expert group comprising government, union and employers'
representatives will on January 15 start drawing up a document on
the wage policy between 2001 and 2003. A week after that the social
partners will hold a new meeting to discuss the offered solutions
and the agreement itself should be ready for signing by mid-
February.
(hina) rml