UNION FEDERATION SAYS SOCIAL PACT ISN'T NECESSARY

ZAGREB, Nov 27 (Hina) - Croatia's largest trade union federation said on Monday it was unhappy with a government social pact motion and that a social pact was not necessary if the Contract for Just Croatia, signed ahead of January's election with today's ruling six-party coalition, was implemented. "The SSSH Council has decided to return the social pact motion to the Economic and Social Council after assessing the motion is not good enough. Moreover, at present there is not enough responsibility among social partners warranting its implementation," the federation's president Davor Juric said. The government in September suggested signing a social peace pact over the next three years, the period it estimated the economy needs to overcome the crisis. A motion was discussed by representatives of the social partners - the government, employers, and unions - at a session of the Economic and Social Council. The employers supported the motion, but the unions did not. The SSSH Council requested an urgent meeting with the signatories of the Contract for Just Croatia in order to analyse which of its 40 articles had been complied with, and to set deadlines and the bearers for the implementation of the remaining ones. Juric said the SSSH (Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia) had no intention of giving up the right to union action and rights from work contracts. He added that the government, by deciding to return salaries in the public sector to last year's level, seriously breached work agreements in said companies. The social pact might be signed only after the labour act and the bankruptcy act are amended, said Juric. SSSH has been urging passing amendments which would settle the issue of introducing a 40-hour working week. (hina) ha jn