UNIONS SATISFIED WITH SCHOOLS' RESPONSE TO STRIKE

( Editorial: --> 5241 ) ZAGREB, May 20 (Hina) - Two Croatian school unions who had organised a strike on Wednesday, expressed satisfaction with the response of its members. Unions are requesting an increase in salaries for employees in primary and high schools. The Union of Croatian School Teachers said that the response in primary schools was above expectations, and the Independent Union of Employees in High schools said 90 per cent of the Union's members had participated in the strike in the morning. Union members said their further actions would depend on the government's response to their requests. During question time at the Croatian Parliament House of Representatives on Wednesday, Education and Sports Minister Bozidar Pugelnik said that the Ministry and the government would not sign an annex of the collective agreement on increase in salaries for employees in primary and high schools. Pugelnik recalled that two unions who had organised the strike had not signed the valid collective agreement, and if the government signed the annex, four other school employees' unions had announced their complaints. (hina) lm jn 201415 MET may 98