The statement made by PM Kosor at her cabinet's meeting on Thursday prompted trade union federation leaders to say that they are leaving the negotiations and that they are proceeding with the collection of signatures necessary for calling a referendum against the planned changes which unionists hold to be a step leading to the elimination of collective agreements.
According to union leaders, Kosor's statement was a "marketing trick" aimed at convincing citizens that they should no longer participate in the signature collection drive which was launched on Wednesday.
Since then, some 150,000 signatures have been collected and the federations need to collect 449,506 signatures of Croatian voters in two weeks' time so as to initiate the procedure for the referendum.
In that case it would be the first referendum to be organised since Croatia gained independence.
Union leader Ozren Matijasevic said today that during the first round of negotiations on Wednesday, economy ministry officials and unionists agreed that no party would give statements during the process of the negotiations, which he said Kosor had breached.
Economy Minister Djuro Popijac is expected to address the press on the matter at 3 pm.