GOVT-UNIONS TALKS: GOVT PROPOSES 6-MONTH STAY ON SALARY RAISES

ZAGREB, Nov 27 (Hina) - The Negotiating Committee of Croatian public and state services' unions told reporters on Friday they would accept the government's proposal for a six-month moratorium on salary raises on condition this was compensated through higher Christmas bonuses on the average salary, cash grants, and public company bonds. At a Thursday negotiating round on the salary policy in 1999, representatives of the government demanded a six-month stay in salary raises for state and public services, claiming this year's salary raises of 27 percent overstrained the state budget. The unions could consent to the six-month stay were the government to compensate through higher Christmas bonuses, cash grants, public company bonds, and by taking the obligation to increase salaries in the second half of 1999. "We have not backed down from our demand for a 28 percent raise in the salaries of public and state services next year, in order to compensate for lagging behind other sectors," said Ferdo Boban, president of the union of culture employees. According to Dalimir Kuba, president of the teachers' union, the unions will not sign an agreement on salaries unless it clearly specified an increase of salaries in public and state services speedier than in other salaries. The government will discuss the unions' proposal next Thursday. (hina) ha/sp