CENTRAL ASSOCIATION OF CRO UNIONS BEGINS CONSULTATIONS ON STRIKE

ZAGREB, March 5 (Hina) - The central Association of Croatian Unions on Sunday described as "impermissible, scandalous and immoral" the Croatian Government's announcement about a decrease in salaries to teachers, professors, scientists, social, health and cultural workers, as well as civil servants. The Association announced the beginning of consultations among civil servants' unions about organising a strike in March. The Association said the reduction of salaries was a violation of the electoral pledge and a heavy blow to the three-year efforts of unions for the low salaries of civil servants to be improved. The union is requesting an urgent beginning of negotiations and a just rise in salaries in public services. "The announcement for a reduction in salaries is a blow to the social justice in the country because average salaries in the country rise at a rate of 10 per cent annually, which means that the salaries of civil servants will be set back by 15 per cent this year," the Association said. The Government's announcement is a blow to union rights because the Government had neither negotiated nor heard the unions' stances, and was made before a session of the Economic Social Council which was to discuss the policy of salaries. The Association of Croatian Unions deems unacceptable the fact that the policy which was presented to voters as a moral alternative to the former authority should violate its electoral pledges thus blatantly. "Prime Minister Racan himself is the co-signatory to a pledge given three days before the elections according to which salaries in public services would grow at least as much as other salaries in the country are rising," the Association said in a statement. There is no social pact with pseudo-social democratic policy and bearers of false promises, with the unjust who impose sacrifice only to some, the Association asserted. (hina) lml