CROATIAN POST, TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION REPS STAGE PROTEST RALLY

ZAGREB, Feb 2 (Hina) - The National Union of Croatian Post and Telecommunications (HPT) Workers on Wednesday held a meeting at the Croatian Telecommunications (HT) building in Zagreb protesting against HT's failure to respect the branch collective agreement for post and telecommunications services, which envisages a five-day working week for postal workers as well as the payment of overtime. The union also demanded that ten postmen from Split, who had been fired in 1992 for damaging HP's reputation, return to work. Some 20 union commissioners from seven Croatian cities, led by the union president Jadranko Vehar, distributed leaflets with their requests to HP workers. Vehar said the request for a five-day working week applied particularly to postmen. The union recalled that the HP had pledged to consider their requests by January 15. The HP should employ the ten Split postmen who had been fired in 1992, Vehar said, adding the union believed they had been fired without justification. Should there be no significant progress in resolving the union's demands presented today, union commissioners will next week stage rallies in front of the Labour and Welfare Ministry and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications, Vehar said. (hina) rml