UPPER HOUSE CLOSES 16TH SESSION

( Editorial: --> 8388 ) ZAGREB, June 2 (Hina) - The House of Counties of the Croatian National Parliament Tuesday objected by a majority of vote to changes to the Labour Act by which three Social Democratic Party representatives in the Lower House demanded that employees who had not received their salary for 45 days be given the right to go on strike. The Labour Act does not envisage any sanctions for non-payment of salary, representative Mato Arlovic said explaining the proposed changes. He presented data showing that every tenth employee is not paid his salary, and that the number of companies unable to comply with their obligations rose from 19,300 at the end of last year to 23,000 at present. Despite support from opposition benches of the Croatian Peasant Party and the Croatian Social Liberal Party, Upper House representatives joined the government and some working bodies in the opinion that the said problems should not be resolved through the Labour Act, but through other provisions. The government believes the Insolvency Act should regulate the matter by passing a provision stating that a union may also suggest insolvency for companies not paying out salaries. At today's session Upper House representatives endorsed a bill on ways of determining representation of unions in tripartite bodies, and changes and amendments to the Customs Act. (hina) ha jn 021742 MET jun 98