EMPLOYEES OF 'MUNGOS' MINE-REMOVAL COMPANY ESTABLISH UNION

ZAGREB, Jan 7 (Hina) - About one hundred pyrotechnists, mostly employees of the mine-removal company 'Mungos', on Friday formed a union which is to fight for the improvement of the currently very difficult status of pyrotechnists, it was said at Friday's conference of the Association of Croatian Unions (HUS), within which the newly-established union will operate. The union's aim is for pyrotechnists to claim back their status as Homeland War soldiers and define the terms and price of their work in a collective agreement, HUS president Zdenko Mucnjak said. The HUS will launch an initiative for legal changes as soon as the new House of Representatives is constituted, Mucnjak added. 'Mungos' was established in May 1996 as a government non-profit company. Its employees received salaries from the budget, had double years of service, and the status of Homeland War soldiers. They were ensured collectively at DM20,000 in case of accidents. For most pyrotechnists this was the reason for seeking a job at the company, said the union president Antun Vincetic. However, changes to the Law on De-Mining have stripped pyrotechnists of their status as Homeland War soldiers and their right to double years of service, and 'Mungos' was left without budgetary support and had to shift to the system of market competition with international companies as rivals. The company currently owes its workers one and a half salary and the November salary was 40 per cent lower, Vincetic said. Since the establishment of the company, four employees have been killed, three have been disabled in accidents and none of them managed to exercise their rights. The union is open to all engaged in mine removal activities and it expects the majority of some 600 Croatian pyrotechnists to join it. (hina) rml