EMPLOYEES WITH ZAGREB BOOKTRADE COMPANIES STAGE PROTEST

ZAGREB, Sept 9 (Hina) - The former employees of the booktrade company "Mladost d.d.", which is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings, and the newly-established company "Mladost - skolska knjiga" on Thursday held a protest meeting in the company's offices. The protesters demanded that the director of "Mladost - skolska knjiga", Ivan Skember, and the trustee for "Mladost d.d.", Mirko Jancic, explain the reasons why the work contracts of "Mladost d.d." employees were being cancelled and why they were being sent to the Employment Bureau. According to the Croatian Trade Union (STH), there is an obligation in the social agreement on the establishment of "Mladost - skolska knjiga" which speaks about the taking over of employees by the newly-established company. Ivan Skember and STH president Dragica Miseljic failed to agree on whether the employment policy in "Mladost - skolska knjiga" was the regular employment of workers in the newly-established firm or the taking-over of workers with the firm undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. In a heated debate, which was also joined in by the workers, Skember supported the first interpretation and Miseljic the latter. The STH president claims that the work contracts which Skember is offering to workers are illegal because they include a three-month trial period for workers who should continue working without any interruption of their years of service or a trial period. Mirko Jancic, the trustee for "Mladost d.d.", said almost all of the company's property was under mortgage and that, contrary to STH's claims, "Skolska Knjiga" did not have the status of a privileged creditor. (hina) rml