ZAGREB, March 20 (Hina) - The Croatian Government and public employee unions on Monday reached an agreement on budgetary salaries for this year, and the unions cancelled a strike they had announced for Tuesday. Representatives of the
Government and unions adopted a suggestion by peace council chairman Zarko Potocnjak agreeing for gross salaries to be reduced by five per cent, while the untaxable part of the salaries would rise from 1,000 kuna (US$125) to 1,250 kuna (US$156.25). The Government has committed itself to harmonising changes in salaries in state and public services with those in companies mostly owned by the state. A collective agreement on the issue will be signed on Monday. Vice-Premier Zeljka Antunovic assessed the agreement was an important change in the salary policy and overall government finance management, as it marked the beginning of harmonisation of the rise in salaries with the growth of
ZAGREB, March 20 (Hina) - The Croatian Government and public
employee unions on Monday reached an agreement on budgetary
salaries for this year, and the unions cancelled a strike they had
announced for Tuesday.
Representatives of the Government and unions adopted a suggestion
by peace council chairman Zarko Potocnjak agreeing for gross
salaries to be reduced by five per cent, while the untaxable part of
the salaries would rise from 1,000 kuna (US$125) to 1,250 kuna
(US$156.25). The Government has committed itself to harmonising
changes in salaries in state and public services with those in
companies mostly owned by the state.
A collective agreement on the issue will be signed on Monday.
Vice-Premier Zeljka Antunovic assessed the agreement was an
important change in the salary policy and overall government
finance management, as it marked the beginning of harmonisation of
the rise in salaries with the growth of the Gross Domestic Product.
The tougher part of the job ensues, which is to harmonise salaries
in the economy with the growth of the GDP, Antunovic said.
The unions cancelled the warning strike as the Government has shown
it stood behind its electoral promises that it would not allow a
setback in salaries of state and public employees, public service
employees' union centre head, Vilim Ribic, said.
With the five per cent reduction of gross salaries and th lift of the
untaxable part of salaries, net salaries should decrease
insignificantly, or rise, in a range between -2.5 per cent to +1.5
per cent.
(hina) lml