ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) requested the government on Tuesday to re-examine its policy towards the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank which they say are exponents of big
business interested only in orderly debt servicing and not the standard of living of dozens of millions of workers. "Whenever the IMF commended someone, as it is doing with Croatia, that country had big problems," NHS president Kresimir Sever told reporters. Many other countries have shown that the IMF and World Bank's policy directly undermines workers' rights, wages and social security, he said. The IMF demands of all underdeveloped countries to reduce the public sector, privatise state-owned companies by reducing the number of employees, eliminate obstacles for dismissals, reduce or freeze salaries, expand the salary range, and reform the pension syste
ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS)
requested the government on Tuesday to re-examine its policy
towards the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank
which they say are exponents of big business interested only in
orderly debt servicing and not the standard of living of dozens of
millions of workers.
"Whenever the IMF commended someone, as it is doing with Croatia,
that country had big problems," NHS president Kresimir Sever told
reporters.
Many other countries have shown that the IMF and World Bank's policy
directly undermines workers' rights, wages and social security, he
said.
The IMF demands of all underdeveloped countries to reduce the
public sector, privatise state-owned companies by reducing the
number of employees, eliminate obstacles for dismissals, reduce or
freeze salaries, expand the salary range, and reform the pension
system through privatisation reducing compensation for social
insurance.
In Argentina and Turkey, this policy has caused a deep economic
crisis which has resulted in general strikes and made tens of
thousands of workers take to the streets, Sever said.
There is no evidence that the IMF's "recipes" have resulted in
economic recovery or drops in the unemployment rate, he added.
Singling out Slovenia, he said it had not taken any loans or signed
commitments to the IMF, not even changing its Labour Law, which
dates back to socialist times, yet managed to become the most
successful country in transition.
(hina) ha sb