RAIL WORKERS SATISFIED WITH AGREEMENT, UNION SAYS

ZAGREB, Feb 29 (Hina) - Croatian Railway workers who had been striking from 22 to 28 February, were satisfied with the Agreement on ending the strike which was signed on Wednesday, union said. Under the Agreement, their wages are to be raised some 10%, and after signing a collective agreement in the next two months, the average increase in wages would be some 30% in relation with their current wages, the Croatian Railway Workers' Union (SZH) officials told a press conference on Thursday. #L# The head of the SZH Zlatko Pavletic said that the next railway workers' wages would on average be increased 10%. Collective negotiations between the Croatian Railway unions and Management board are to begin on 1 March and should end within two months, in line with the Agreement. The union officials estimated that, following the negotiations the workers' wages would be increased some 30%, which would raise the wages of workers of the executive service the most. Under the Agreement, the raised wages could not be payed from the national budget, but financial resources would be taken from current transactions and internal affairs, as well as by the redistribution of the Croatian Railways incomes, Pavletic said. The railway workers will be payed for the time spent striking, in line with the Agreement. The Transportation Ministry and the Croatian Railways Administration accepted other demands concerning the improvement of safety for passengers and goods, the establishment of a new systematization, resolving the problem of apartments for railway workers and passing of necessary acts. (hina) lm 291726 MET feb 96