PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS' UNIONS TALK WITH PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

ZAGREB, Nov 20 (Hina) - Public service workers' trade unions, that include about ten unions of workers who get salaries from the state budget, demand that the Croatian Parliament should postpone the adoption of a 1997 draft budget, as the Government has not negotiated with the unions on base pay before proposing the draft budget. The trade unions told a news conference about their demands on Wednesday. The conference was held in front of the Government's building in the Zagreb downtown. The Croatian Parliament's President Vlatko Pavletic received trade union's representatives after the news conference. A member of the unions' delegation, Vilim Ribic said that Pavletic had listened to the trade union members "with understanding", but he said that he could not withdraw the questions about the budget from the agenda, as the negotiations with trade unions on salaries were not within the competence of the Parliament but within the competence of the Government. In the meantime the Government called the public service workers' unions to hold negotiations, scheduled on Monday, November 25, Ribic said. The Parliament is expected to discuss the draft budget on November 27, in line with the announced agenda. (hina) jn mš 201648 MET nov 96