TRADE UNION RSR HPT ANNOUNCES STRIKES IN CROATIAN POST

ZAGREB, June 3 (Hina) - The Republic Trade Union of the Workers in the Croatian Post and Telecommunications (RSR HPT), today announced strikes for June 9 in Croatian post offices and for June 11 in Croatian Telecommunications in protest at the Croatian Government's proposal for the Croatian Telecommunications (HT) privatisation and due to the breach of the collective contract. RSR HPT is dissatisfied with the Government's draft bill on the HT privatisation which has been forwarded into the second reading in the Croatian Parliament (Sabor), the president of this union, Jadranko Vehar, said on Thursday. Members of the union demanded that the foreign investor should be offered no more than 20 percent of the HT shares and that the Croatian Post take part into the privatisation. Unionists also insisted that current and former employees be allowed to buy shares up to 20,000 German marks, under privileged conditions. RSR HPT opposed also the change of the name "Hrvatske telekomunikacije" into "Hrvatski Telekom", as it will cost five million kuna (0.7 million dollars). The strike on June 9 will be one-day and general. The industrial action in the HT on June 11 will refer to impeded approaches to the 988 service for information. Telephones and cellular phones can be normally used on that day. The RSR HPT has not informed another trade union in the HP and HT, called HSPT, about their intention to go on strike, a HSPT representative, Josip Pupic, said. The HSPT union is also to organise a strike on June 11, the day determined for the parliamentary discussion on the HT privatisation, according to previous announcements. (hina) jn ms