ZAGREB ZAGREB, March 3 (Hina) - A two-day international conference called "Trade Unions and Political Parties in Croatia - Promotion of Dialogue" is taking place in Zagreb. The event has been organised by the American Centre for Labor
Solidarity (ACS) and the American National Democratic Institute (NDI). Opening the conference, Rudy Portes said on behalf of the ACS that a strategy of collective negotiations between social partners was not sufficient. Porter believed that trade unions had to be included into political processes and stimulate their members to take part in political and civic life. Most participants agreed with Dragutin Lesar, the vice president of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) and a former leader of the Association of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) that unions had achieved the right to public political appearances in 1993 when a few federations of
ZAGREB, March 3 (Hina) - A two-day international conference called
"Trade Unions and Political Parties in Croatia - Promotion of
Dialogue" is taking place in Zagreb. The event has been organised by
the American Centre for Labor Solidarity (ACS) and the American
National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Opening the conference, Rudy Portes said on behalf of the ACS that a
strategy of collective negotiations between social partners was
not sufficient. Porter believed that trade unions had to be
included into political processes and stimulate their members to
take part in political and civic life.
Most participants agreed with Dragutin Lesar, the vice president of
the Croatian People's Party (HNS) and a former leader of the
Association of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) that
unions had achieved the right to public political appearances in
1993 when a few federations of the trade unions published a
declaration on the economic situation in Croatia criticising the
then Government about its policy toward Bosnia-Herzegovina,
privatisation of socially-owned companies and its social policy.
It was the first document of such kind to be published in Croatia,
Lesar added.
Davor Juric, the current leader of the SSSH, reiterated that
Croatia's trade unions had gaind the right to the political speech
and activities. Since September 1997, the SSSH has been official
cooperating with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on the
principles of independence and autonomy by both sides.
Juric added that the SSSH wanted to hold dialogue with other
parties, including the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), but
sometimes it had insincere interlocutors.
Ivica Racan, the leader of the SDP, said political parties should
not scramble for the area of activities of the trade unions or vice
versa. Each of them should do their own businesses.
The conference is continuing with a discussion on the European and
world experiences on the dialogue between trade unions and
political parties.
(hina) mm ms