INDEPENDENT UNIONS REQUEST SOCIAL CLAUSE, WORKERS' PARTICIPATION

ZAGREB, May 13 (Hina) - A coordination of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) for multinational companies on Thursday requested the Government to include in the announced changes to the Law on Privatisation a regulation prohibiting the relocation of Croatian companies to other countries and introducing a social clause for the sale of companies to foreign buyers. The announced transfer of shares from pension funds into the Croatian Privatisation Fund could lead to the sale of all shares of individual Croatian companies to foreign buyers, who could then relocate the companies' headquarters outside of Croatia, the coordination's head Damir Gasparovic told a news conference today. Also, there can be no protection of the current status of employees and their jobs without the introduction of a social clause. The sale of companies to foreigners without the signing of a social clause is not possible in most countries in transition, Gasparovic said. The coordination has also requested the Government to regulate with a separate law the issue of workers' participation in decision- making. In all European Union countries and almost all countries in transition, workers' representatives hold one third of seats in supervisory boards and it is time that something like that be done in Croatia as well, Gasparovic said. These requests are part of the strategic goals of the SSSH, which wants to help the Croatian state in its efforts to come closer to the European Union, SSSH president Davor Juric said. (hina) jn rml