CRO GOVERNMENT DISCUSSES STRIKE OF RAILWAY WORKERS

ZAGREB, Feb 22 (Hina) - The Croatian Government was ready to participate in the social dialogue, but it refused Croatian Workers' Union's monologue and pressures it was exerting on the Government, Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa said at today's Government session which heard the reports by Labour and Social Welfare Minister Joso Skara and the Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications, Zeljko Luzavec, on yesterday's negotiations with workers' unions and the strike of two Croatian Railways workers' unions. #L# The time and the place for the strike had not be chosen randomly, Premier Matesa said. The demands of the unions were unreasonable and unrealistic. They also led into inflation and chaos, Finance Minister Bozo Prka said, adding that the Government could not make decisions which were in opposition with the state budget. There could be no raise in wages without an overall revival on economic activity, for which there were good chances to improve, Prka said, adding the strikes only made the situation more difficult. Minister Luzavec informed the session about the strike of two unions of Croatian Railway workers, which started this morning. The strike, he said, had started although the demands of the two unions had been met. "Even the two unions agree that out of seven demands six have been met, but I hold that the seventh demand relating to wages has been met as well", Luzavec said. The statements saying that Croatian Railways workers had lowest wages of all public companies were incorrect, as was the statement announcing a freeze or even decrease of wages, Luzavec said. More money was being allocated to the Croatian Railways than to displaced persons, Premier Matesa said. The unions' request for a 100% raise in wages was at the same time a request to cease negotiations, he added. (hina) rm mm 221541 MET feb 96