CRO POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKERS ON ONE-HOUR STRIKE

ZAGREB, May 24 (Hina) - A one-hour strike staged by the Croatian Trade Union of Post and Telecommunications (HSPT) began at noon on Monday as scheduled, the HSPT leader, Jadranka Dumbovic, told Hina today. The union is organising this and one-hour strikes on next three days to stop the privatisation of the Croatian Telecommunications (HT). During the industrial action, the HSPT is to discontinue all postal and telecommunications operations except operations which must be done under a decree of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Maritime Affairs. During the strike, it will be more difficult to have the access to the telephone links and the INTERNET, and most post offices are not working. The data on the turnout at today's action will be released after 01.00 pm Monday. By the noon no information could be obtained from the Transport Ministry on what it had done regarding the HSPT strike. Unionists demand their more active participation in the adoption of an act on the Croatian Telecommunication privatisation. They believe that current and former employees of the HPT (The Croatian Post and Telecommunications) are entitled to have shares valued from 20,000 German marks, which they will pay under more favourable conditions. According to the union, means collected from the sale of the HT should be used for the creation of more jobs and for the further development of the HT rather than being invested into the pension and public health funds, what Finance Minister Borislav Skegro has proposed. In case their demand are not considered, unionists will stage one- day general strike on Friday (May 28). (hina) ms