CONTRARY REPORTS ON SCHOOL UNIONS STRIKE

( Editorial: --> 5371 ) ZAGREB, May 20 (Hina) - Two Croatian school unions assessed a strike they organised Wednesday as very successful. The unions are requesting an increase in salaries for employees in primary and high schools. According to data of the Croatian Ministry of Education, of 1,187 primary and high schools in Croatia, excluding those in Zagreb, only 434 were on strike today, while 550 schools worked as usual and 203 only in part. Education Minister Bozidar Pugelnik said complete data would be available tomorrow, when the Ministry will make the data known at a press conference. The Croatian Teachers Union estimates that 25,000 out of 36,500 primary school employees took part in today's strike, union president Dalimir Kuba said. According to the president of the Independent Union of High Schools, Vesna Kanizaj, about 90 per cent of teachers took part in the strike in schools where the union is active. Two unions demanded that Premier Zlatko Matesa urgently call a meeting where an annexe to collective agreements for primary and high schooling would be signed to the end of increasing wages 12.5 per cent. If the meeting is not called, the unions threatened with new strikes. (hina) ha 202145 MET may 98