METAL WORKERS DEMAND SALARIES, URGE SALVAGING OF COMPANY

METAL WORKERS DEMAND SALARIES, URGE SALVAGING OF COMPANY ZAGREB, Oct 9 (Hina) - Workers of the metal company 'Jedinstvo' from Zagreb on Monday again urged the government, Croatian Privatisation Fund (HFP) and the company's majority owner - the privatisation fund 'Sunce' - to take a clear stand toward the company's destiny and its employees, who have not received their salaries for ten months. Apart from the salaries and the adoption of a plan on the company's financial reorganisation and care for surplus workers, the employees also request that the HFP state why the majority package of company shares (89.40 percent) was given to the 'Sunce' privatisation fund in the period between the replacement of the old government and the setting up of the new one. The company's crisis headquarters told reporters today they were concerned that the current management, with the support of the majority owner, intended to cheaply sell what was left from the company and keep 30-40 of the current 350 employees. The employees request the replacement of the current director and the establishment of responsibility of his predecessors, of whom one, they claim, in 1996 had given one half of the company to the Defence Ministry, which still owed 'Jedinstvo' one million German marks, whereas another had signed a harmful contract with the German company 'DSD Dillinger Stahlbau'. A representative for the metal workers' union, Josip Jurcic, reminded of Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic's promises, given at a protest meeting of 'Jedinstvo' employees in front of the government building in June, that he would see that their property is returned and salaries paid. However, none of this has been fulfilled, Jurcic said. (hina) jn rml