GOVT PREPARES BASIC COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT ON MINIMUM WAGE

( Editorial: --> 4554 ) ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - As early as this week the Government will prepare a Basic Collective Agreement (TKU) which will set the lowest gross wage in Croatia at about US$200. The Government calls on all trade union organisations to sign the Agreement, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Joso Skara said after Wednesday's meeting of the Economic and Social Council (GSV). On 23 February the Government and the Association of Independent Trade Unions (SSSH) reached an agreement on the minimum wage. Should other union organisations fail to sign the agreement, I will extend the application of TKU to all employees in Croatia, in line with my powers, Skara said, adding that his measures were in the interest of Croatian workers. Currently 28,700 workers receive wages lower than $200. According to the agreement between the government and the SSSH, Minister Skara will issue an instruction to labour inspectors to punish irregular payment of salaries. The Labour Minister estimated that the current number of 80 inspectors would be enough for the successful completion of the task. The agreement between the Government and the SSSH caused strong reactions among employers, Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) president Zeljko Ivancevic said. Ivancevic said that issues which were important for employers were being solved without them. "We have nothing against the setting of the lowest wage at the said amount, but we are against such behaviour where the Government and one union association sign a bilateral agreement and then just present it to us," said Dalimir Kuba on behalf of the Coordination of Public Servants' Unions, the Association of Workers' Unions, the Croatian Trade Union Association and the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions. The Labour Minister also announced that he would initiate a discussion in the GSV on a new law on public assembly. (hina) mm rm 251928 MET feb 98