ZAGREB, May 27 (Hina) - The Croatian government will soon forward changes to the Labour Act into parliamentary procedure, despite the fact that social partners have failed to fully agree on all institutes of the new law, Labour and
Social Welfare Minister Davorko Vidovic said on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, May 27 (Hina) - The Croatian government will soon forward
changes to the Labour Act into parliamentary procedure, despite the
fact that social partners have failed to fully agree on all
institutes of the new law, Labour and Social Welfare Minister
Davorko Vidovic said on Tuesday. #L#
Despite the announced obstruction, changes to the Labour Act will
be sent into the second parliamentary reading by mid-June and the
new law should be passed by the end of June, Vidovic said at a
seminar called "Adaptability and Security = Europe".
Talks on the changes to the labour legislation ended without
agreement on severance pays, the duration of the period of notice,
the number of workers small employers can employ and workers'
representatives in private companies' supervisory boards.
"Employers and trade unions may not explicitly support the new law,
but I expect them to eventually admit that the changes were a good
job," Vidovic said, adding the amendments would contribute to
making work more flexible and raising the level of the social
protection of workers.
Once the application of the new law starts, unemployed persons will
start receiving higher unemployment allowances, the protection of
workers against discrimination will improve, working conditions in
atypical forms of labour will be equated with those in common forms
of work, and the role of trade unions will become stronger, the
minister claims.
As regards regulations regarding the reduction of severance pays
and the duration of the period of notice, the ministry will suggest
that they be applied as of 1 January 2004, so that workers and
employers could terminate work contracts under more favourable
conditions.
Workers will have representatives in the supervisory committees of
all public and state companies, as well as in private companies with
more than 200 employees.
Other changes in the law include stronger instruments for the
protection of whistle-blowers, who will be protected from
unjustified dismissal and demotion for revealing corruption.
The changes also include the payment of solidarity contributions,
i.e. part of the union membership fee, for persons who are not union
members.
The contributions will be regulated exclusively by a collective
agreement on condition it has been approved by all employees.
The new law also envisages the establishment of an employment
agency and increases the number of employees working for small
employers from 10 to 20.
The new law is accompanied by a set of by-laws which introduce
compensation measures in case of dismissal, improve the social
protection of workers, speed up the settlement of labour disputes
and ensure the payment of wages, Vidovic said.
(hina) rml sb