ENERGY INDUSTRY UNION SENDS LETTER TO STATE OFFICIALS

( Editorial: --> 1689 ) ZAGREB, March 23 (Hina) - The Independent Energy Industry Union on Monday sent a letter to Premier Zlatko Matesa expressing dissatisfaction over the Government's recent decision on decreasing February wages in the oil firm INA. The Union criticised "the administrative way of making decisions concerning the basic rights of workers ahead of the very beginning of collective negotiations on the new costs of labour in INA". "This decision considerably limits the freedom of collective bargaining," the letter said. Copies of the letter were also sent to the INA Supervisory Board President Hrvoje Sarinic, INA General Director Davor Stern and Constitutional Court President Jadranko Crnic. The letter warns that the Government's latest decision caused anxiety among employees, of whom a majority do not have wages which would cover the basic costs of living. (hina) rm /mb 231527 MET mar 98