ZAGREB, July 23 (Hina) - The industrial action of employees with the "Savric" furniture factory will continue on Monday, when workers from plants of this factory in Krapina-Zagorje County are to join protesters, said the commissioner
of the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) for Zagreb, Mario Ivekovic, on Friday. Employees with Savric, who began a protest on Thursday, continued with their industrial action on Friday morning, demanding that the Zagrebacka bank, which holds 34 per cent of 'Savric' shares, secure 3.5 million kuna (around DM890,000) for payrolls for May and June. Unionists believe that this bank, as the biggest share-holder in the factory, is obliged to take care of workers. On Friday morning, a part of protesters were incessantly taking and giving back money on their accounts at desks of the Zagrebacka bank's branch in Racki Street in Zagreb, thus b
ZAGREB, July 23 (Hina) - The industrial action of employees with the
"Savric" furniture factory will continue on Monday, when workers
from plants of this factory in Krapina-Zagorje County are to join
protesters, said the commissioner of the Association of
Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) for Zagreb, Mario
Ivekovic, on Friday.
Employees with Savric, who began a protest on Thursday, continued
with their industrial action on Friday morning, demanding that the
Zagrebacka bank, which holds 34 per cent of 'Savric' shares, secure
3.5 million kuna (around DM890,000) for payrolls for May and June.
Unionists believe that this bank, as the biggest share-holder in
the factory, is obliged to take care of workers.
On Friday morning, a part of protesters were incessantly taking and
giving back money on their accounts at desks of the Zagrebacka
bank's branch in Racki Street in Zagreb, thus blocking this branch.
Another group of demonstrators staged a protest rally in front of
the offices of the ruling party's (HDZ) secretariat in the Croatian
Great Men's Square.
As of Monday about 700 Savric employees are to exert more pressure
on the Zagrebacka bank and the industrial action will be
intensified, Ivekovic announced adding that this bank will have
sooner or later to yield.
Asked which branches of the Zagrebacka bank will be blocked on
Monday, Ivekovic responded that it would be done "at random as there
will be enough people." As of Monday they will not stop protesting
until the settlement to the problem, he added.
Ivekovic also announced that representatives of trade unions, the
Government and the Zagrebacka bank should hold a meeting on
Tuesday, July 27, in Zagreb, to discuss solutions for overcoming
problems in the furniture factory "Savric". The meeting is to be
organised by the Economy Ministry.
"The Government cannot force a privately-owned bank to attend the
meeting, but I hope we shall (force it)," Ivekovic said adding that
regardless of the outcome of Tuesday's meeting, protests directed
against the Zagrebacka bank will continue.
"The might of money cannot be tolerated any longer and workers are
ready to use severer methods in the struggle for their rights,"
Ivekovic said.
Explaining trade unions' suggestions for the rehabilitation of
Savric, he said it was also proposed that the Zagrebacka bank should
pay "10 million kuna to exit from the ownership portfolio," and this
amount would be sufficient for the Government to launch a programme
for rehabilitation.
Ivekovic accentuated that unionists asked nothing which might not
be in the interest of the Zagrebacka bank. Means invested in the
rehabilitation programme would be to the benefit of the Bank which
owns 34 per cent of 'Savric' shares, he explained.
(hina) ms