CROATIAN TRADE UNION BLOC ISSUES JOINT STATEMENT

ZAGREB, Jan 18 (Hina) - At a session held yesterday, the Croatian trade union associations, which make the Croatian Trade Union Bloc, discussed the situation following a joint statement the Bloc sent to the Croatian Government regarding its Proposal on Instructions on Salary Policy in 1996, a joint statement from the Croatian Trade Union Bloc said. #L# According to the statement, the Croatian Trade Union Bloc, joined by the Croatian Union of Printing and Publishing Trade 'still insists that the Proposal, which froze this year's salaries of the majority of workers, be revoked, that the lowest basic salary be increased and that the non-taxable part of salary as well as other taxation incentives be increased. The Croatian Trade Union Bloc asked from Premier Zlatko Matesa to urgently set a date for negotiations, but, 'the Premier has neither answered to our requests nor has he accepted negotiations and social dialogue'. 'The announcement of joint open measures of trade union struggle proved justified and the Croatian Trade Union Bloc has reached agreement as regards the content of all future requests and methods of struggle', the statement, signed by the Croatian Trade Union Bloc, said. (hina) rm 181402 MET jan 96