ZAGREB, July 22 (Hina) - The Croatian government and trade unions of the Nama department store chain on Thursday signed an agreement intended to overcome the crisis in the store chain following a protests the company's workers staged
in downtown Zagreb earlier today. Economy Minister Nenad Porges said the agreement was not signed because of the protest. The agreement obligates the government to formulate a plan for the restructuring and rehabilitation of Nama, to be presented to the store chain's trade unions in September. "Nama's employees are rightfully dissatisfied, but the government is to be least blamed for their difficulties," Porges told reporters after the signing. He voiced his doubt that Nama would survive as a department store chain. Ana Knezevic, president of the Croatian Commercial Sector Workers' Trade Union, said the unions are satisfied with t
ZAGREB, July 22 (Hina) - The Croatian government and trade unions of
the Nama department store chain on Thursday signed an agreement
intended to overcome the crisis in the store chain following a
protests the company's workers staged in downtown Zagreb earlier
today.
Economy Minister Nenad Porges said the agreement was not signed
because of the protest.
The agreement obligates the government to formulate a plan for the
restructuring and rehabilitation of Nama, to be presented to the
store chain's trade unions in September.
"Nama's employees are rightfully dissatisfied, but the government
is to be least blamed for their difficulties," Porges told
reporters after the signing. He voiced his doubt that Nama would
survive as a department store chain.
Ana Knezevic, president of the Croatian Commercial Sector Workers'
Trade Union, said the unions are satisfied with the agreement and
would decide on future action after the September meeting at the
government.
Knezevic said the most important part of the agreement was the
loan for the payment of salaries.
The government, with the participation of the biggest creditors,
will also evaluate the conditions under which the Croatian
Privatisation Fund would gain 75 percent of share in the basic
capital.
The Ministry of Economy took the obligation to within a week pay
US$575,000 for salaries, i.e. 2,000 kuna (US$278) per employee, and
to pay the same sum, from the state budget, in September. The
ministry will recommend that the biggest creditors refrain from
steps which might prevent Nama from doing business.
The trade unions took the obligation to refrain from any form of
public protest and strikes until the Nama restructuring programme
was discussed.
The agreement was signed after a three-hour protest on Ban Jelacic
square in downtown Zagreb, during which the protesters blocked tram
transport.
It was signed by representatives of the Federation of Independent
Trade Unions of Croatia, the Croatian Association of Trade Unions,
the Croatian Commercial Sector Workers' Trade Union, and the Trade
Union of Nama Workers on behalf of the unions, and Minister Porges
and his assistant Kruno Kovacevic on behalf of the government.
(hina) ha