ZAGREB, Aug 31 (Hina) - The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia's (SSSH) signing of a social pact with the government and trade unions is conditional on regular salary payments, SSSH president Davor Juric said in Zagreb
on Thursday. The Croatian government last week suggested the signing of a social pact which would ensure social peace over the next three years, the time the government believes Croatia needs to overcome the economic crisis. The trade unions said last week they were willing to take part in social dialogue, including to sign an agreement called "Partnership for Development", if the government and employers acknowledged the reality of the situation and accepted union demands, Juric told reporters today. Labour and Social Welfare Minister Davorko Vidovic presented the agreement to union representatives yesterday. Juric announced SSSH would take a position on th
ZAGREB, Aug 31 (Hina) - The Federation of Independent Trade Unions
of Croatia's (SSSH) signing of a social pact with the government and
trade unions is conditional on regular salary payments, SSSH
president Davor Juric said in Zagreb on Thursday.
The Croatian government last week suggested the signing of a social
pact which would ensure social peace over the next three years, the
time the government believes Croatia needs to overcome the economic
crisis.
The trade unions said last week they were willing to take part in
social dialogue, including to sign an agreement called
"Partnership for Development", if the government and employers
acknowledged the reality of the situation and accepted union
demands, Juric told reporters today.
Labour and Social Welfare Minister Davorko Vidovic presented the
agreement to union representatives yesterday. Juric announced SSSH
would take a position on the document on September 5.
He said SSSH did not accept Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac's
suggestion to ensure regular salary payments as of 1 January 2001,
saying it should be done starting October 1 this year.
Juric also said SSSH would not consent to give up workers' claims,
namely unpaid salaries and contributions, but demanded that the
claims be formulated in writing in negotiations with employers.
SSSH will neither give up the right to collective negotiations on
salaries, Juric added.
He said freezing salaries at the current level was out of the
question, at least in the economy. We must first provide conditions
which will make it possible for workers to live on their salaries,
he asserted, reiterating the SSSH stood by its demand for the
minimum salary in Croatia to be 60 percent of the average one.
SSSH will not give up its right to go on strike, Juric said,
reminding SSSH, as a union federation, was not entitled to organise
any one action without the decision of branch unions.
Juric strongly criticised the Croatian Employers' Association
(HUP), claiming employers were only after profit.
"We seek talks with HUP on privatisation and investment funds
which, trying only to get richer as soon as possible, have become
the cancer of the third stage of Croatian privatisation," said
Juric.
(hina) ha jn