Split's shipyard recently delivered the last ship on its order book and is now waiting for the European Commission and the Croatian authorities to approve a restructuring plan for that company.
While out of work, Borodsplit workers will receive 80 percent of their salary.
The trade union's leader, Vedran Dragicevic, said today temporary layoffs usually heralded the collapse of a company.
The trade union announced protest actions if the dock in Split was not allowed to agree new business deals in the coming fortnight.
The union leader said that bankruptcy proceedings could be launched for the Split steel mill only after the Polish Zlomrex company, which now owns Splitska Zeljezara, paid overdue liabilities to workers in the amount of HRK 100,000.
Dragicevic demanded that the government impose a ban on the import of metal products from China in a bid to salvage national companies such as Metalna Industrija Varazdin or Elka.