LARGEST UNION FEDERATION SUPPORTS JOURNALISTS' UNION PROTEST

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) supports the Trade Union of Journalists of Croatia (SNH) in a five-minute protest it has announced for Wednesday due to the deteriorating working and financial status of SNH members. The protest will take place between 11.55 a.m. and noon on World Media Freedom Day. Croatia's largest trade union federation today forwarded a letter to the SNH, pointing out it was sure the symbolic five-minute work break would help SNH members warn their employers, as well as the entire public, about the difficult situation in the Croatian media and the numerous instances of violation of journalists' fundamental union and working rights. "We are witnesses to the endangered existence of journalists, since many media houses have been brought to the verge of ruin as a result of a wrong business policy, the cancellation of work contracts, the reduction of the amounts or non-payment of salaries, and of the failure to sign or comply with provisions from collective contracts," the SSSH says in the letter. The SNH on May 1 released a proclamation pointing out that thousands of journalists, media employees and correspondents in almost every major, as well as in small and local media houses, fear for their very existence. The SNH has called on its members to protest between 11.55 a.m. and noon tomorrow against the endangering of the existence and the trampling of the human and professional dignity of journalists and media employees. The SNH has urged its members to interrupt work and every communication during those five minutes and read out the proclamation. (hina) ha jn