CRO GOVT & 2 UNIONS SIGN COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT ON LOWEST SALARY

( Editorial: --> 7615 ) ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - Croatian Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Joso Skara, representatives of two unions and representatives of the Association of Craftsmen and Small and Middle-scale Enterprises signed a collective agreement Friday, defining the lowest salary. Representatives of the Association of Croatian Independent Unions (SSSH), the Association of Public Services' Unions and the Association of Craftsmen and Small and Middle-scale Enterprises signed the agreement stipulating that the lowest gross salary amounts to US$200. Representatives of four unions and of the Croatia Association of Employers (HUP) did not turn up at the signing. Skara announced that he would, by his authority, extend the validity of the collective agreement to every person employed in Croatia. The lowest salary has never yet been defined by any agreement, but close to 30,000 workers received gross wages of less than US$200. Skara expressed surprise that HUP and four unions (the Croatian Union Association, Association of Workers' Unions, Confederation of Independent unions and the Coordination of Public Servants' Unions) did not want to sign the agreement. SSSH president Davor Juric said that HUO and the other four unions could not have any arguments against the agreement. Commenting on a request from the four unions that the lowest salary issue be resolved through a Basic Collective Agreement, Skara's deputy, Vera Babic, said that the "Basic Collective Agreement is requested by those who are disregarding the interests of the people they represent and who do not have any signed branch collective agreement". The government has nothing to do with a Basic Collective Agreement because it has to be discussed by employers and unions, she added. (hina) lm mm 061248 MET mar 98