UNIONS GO ON STRIKE; MINISTRY SAYS HALF OF SCHOOLS STAY OPEN

( Editorial: --> 0748 ) ZAGREB, June 12 (Hina) - The teachers' unions which on Friday commenced a strike in primary and secondary schools claim that the strikers' response in the whole of Croatia was high. The Education Ministry said that half the schools worked today. The president of the Croatian Independent Secondary School Union, Vesna Kanizaj, claims that 96 per cent of all employees in secondary schools went on strike in the morning shift. According to Dalimir Kuba, president of the Croatian Teachers' Union, teachers went on strike in all counties, with a 50 to 90 per cent response. According to data published by the Croatian Schools' Union "Preporod", which has members in 104 schools, about 80 per cent of employees in those schools went on strike. The Education Ministry has also published its data, gathered by 2pm, saying that 48.8 per cent of all primary and secondary schools worked fully, while 33.1% of schools worked partly and 18.1% went on an all-out strike. The Association of Independent Unions of Croatia (SSSH) on Friday criticised both the Government and the school unions. The unions were criticised for calling on pupils and their parents to strike, while the Government was criticised for having put the pupils into an uncertain position by deciding to end the school year on Friday, June 12, one week before it was supposed to end. (hina) jn rml/bag 121803 MET jun 98