STRIKE IN SISAK IRONWORKS DISCONTINUED

SISAK, June 7 (Hina) - The Sisak Ironworks employees discontinued their strike at 2pm on Wednesday, following an agreement with government representatives and the management regarding the payment of their salaries. 2,600 workers of the state-owned ironworks had gone on strike on June 1 because they did not receive the second portion of their April salary and because the fate of their company was uncertain. A strikers' committee last night held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Slavko Linic and this morning met representatives of the management. The committee agreed with Linic that the second portion of the April salary be paid by Friday at the latest, i.e. two days after the money is transferred to the account of the Sisak Ironworks. They also accepted a decision that the regular payment of salaries be secured by the Ironworks' management, Economy Ministry, and the Croatian Privatisation Fund. The strikers also supported a statement by Prime Minister Ivica Racan saying the government, as the company's owner, would secure regular salaries for workers while the company was being financially rehabilitated. The president of the Ironworks Trade Unions, Mato Somic, expressed satisfaction with the agreement, emphasising the union had seen that all obligatory orders for final products by foreign clients were fulfilled. He added that 540 tonnes of final products had been exported during the one-week strike. Sisak Ironworks director Borislav Sokol expressed satisfaction with the fact that the strike was over, adding the company had contracts, mostly with foreign clients, for another two and a half months. The management will hold regular meetings with the union branch regarding the payment of May salaries and other details regarding the operation of the company. (hina) jn rml