RAILWAY WORKERS STOP TRAFFIC FOR HALF AN HOUR

( Editorial: --> 9357 ) ZAGREB, March 13 (Hina) - Five Croatian railway unions stopped railway traffic for half an hour, between 12 and 12:30 on Friday, protesting against low wages. The unions demanded a 20% increase in wages and a change of tariffs in the new labour relations by-laws. The Croatian Railways (HZ) Director Marijan Klaric stated that the HZ management tried to discuss the problem with union representatives this morning, but no agreement was reached. The HZ management believes that a rise in wages for workers of the five unions would meet the requests of 8,100 employees but would at the same time leave another 14,000 employees dissatisfied. Klaric called on the unions to give up the announced protests and proposed that the problem be overcome by drawing up of a new system of labour evaluation. The HZ management is ready to draw up a new system of labour evaluation within 60 days and not mend it with partial solutions and wage increases, Klaric said. (hina) jn rm/mrb 131547 MET mar 98