CROATIAN TELEKOM (HT) UNIONISTS HELD ONE-HOUR PROTEST RALLIES

ZAGREB, June 5 (Hina) - All the six trade unions in the Croatian Telekom (HT) organised a one-hour-long protest rally on Tuesday when about 4,000 protesters, according to the unions' estimates, gathered in front of the telecommunications centres in all the counties. The protester were administrative clerks, while other workers ensured the normal functioning of the telecommunication network. The unionists asked the HT Management to ensure an acceptable model for the restructuring of this company and to pay back the debt, worth 73 million kuna, to workers. The unions insist that the management make it possible for the workers of secondary services in the HT who will be transferred to newly-established companies by the end of this year within the HT restructuring, to have the same salaries as other HT workers in the next four years and to have the protection against possible bankruptcy in another four years. The management, however, offers to such workers the same rights which HT workers have in the coming three years, and the protection against bankruptcy in another two years. The unions demand the repayment of a loss of 73 million kuna which, according to them, the management owes due to its failure to respect the collective agreement. If negotiations due to be held next week with the HT supervisory board's head Slavko Linic and with the competent minister Alojz Tusek, fail, unionists announce that a few days later HT workers may switch off the tariff system, which implies that citizens will be able to use HT services free of charge. They will make a final decision subsequently. (hina) ms