CROATIAN TELECOM UNIONS ANNOUNCE THREE-DAY STRIKE

ZAGREB, Sept 4 (Hina) - Six Croatian Telecom (HT) unions announced on Tuesday they would stage a three-day strike starting Sept. 12. They demand a new work agreement, the settlement of HT's debt to its employees, and a more favourable restructuring for the company. As part of the strike, on Sept. 13 the unions expect 1,000-1,200 protesters to rally in front of the government in downtown Zagreb, mainly Croatian Post and HT employees and pensioners. Apart from the ten percent of employees who will be issued compulsory work orders, the rest of the HT staff will not work, the president of the Republic Union of Croatian Post and Telecommunications Workers, Jadranko Vehar, told reporters. The strike is staged two months before Deutsche Telekom could acquire the controlling interest in the HT by buying an additional 16 percent of shares. The unions demand that the HT settle its 170 million kuna (approx. $20 million) debt to its employees which resulted from failure to comply with the work agreement, and the payment of cash grants and Easter bonuses. The settlement of the debt is a prerequisite for the signing of a new work agreement, the unions say. They also demand enabling employees to purchase HT shares at favourable conditions, which the government denied in order to keep its controlling interest, and a restructuring model that will be better than the one offered by the management. (hina) ha sb