CROATIAN POST, TELECOMMUNICATIONS EMPLOYEES POSTPONE STRIKE

ZAGREB, Dec 18 (Hina) - The republic union of Croatian Post and Telecommunications (HPT) employees and the Croatian Post Union (HSP) on Tuesday postponed a strike at the Croatian Post (HP) announced for Wednesday until Friday, December 21. They did so because the HPT management showed good will to peacefully solve a dispute concerning the non-signing of a collective agreement. After 16 months of negotiations, the unions were promised the agreement would be signed following a report on HP activities during this year's first nine months and the signing of a basic collective agreement (TKU) for public services. Even though HP made a profit of 90 million kuna (approx. US$11.11 million) in said period and TKU was recently reached, the collective agreement has not been signed yet. The unionists believe the HP management is working against itself by obstructing the signing of the collective agreement. Under the old one, HP owes its employees 300 million kuna (approx. US$37 million). If the new collective agreement, which was initialled two months ago, is not signed by Friday, the unionists will stage a strike in all HP organisational units. (hina) np