SCHOOL UNIONS ANNOUNCE LAW SUIT AND STRIKE BECAUSE OF AWARD

ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - A negotiating committee of five school unions announced on Wednesday that it will file a law suit with the Administrative Court, against the Croatian Government and the Ministry of Education and Sports for an unplanned issuing of US$17,7 million from the state budget for the "non-participating in June's strike of education workers" payment. For that reason the school unions announced a one-day strike for November 12, not excluding the possibility of public protest by teachers, parents and students. In accordance with the Government's decision, the award payment for non-participating teachers in June's strike started on Tuesday. Vesna Kanizaj, the president of the independent union of Croatian high school employees, said that the five school unions will proceed a request to the international organisation of Labour and Croatia's Helsinki committee to ask the Croatian Government for a moratorium on the payment of "awards according to suitability" and abolishment of the decision. The request for the profession protection, the unions will also refer to the United Sates centre for international Labour solitary, and will inform the Education International and international teaching organisation of the problem. The unions will also send a request to the Croatian President Franjo Tudjman to call to account Minister Pugelnik, also to the Zagreb Archbishop Josip Bozanic to react to the reward payments. She added that parents and students will be informed about the entire problem. (hina) it/ab