POLICE STOP SCHOOL UNIONISTS IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING

ZAGREB, Nov 25 (Hina) - Some 200 commissioners of five school trade unions on Wednesday protested before the Croatian Education Ministry building in Zagreb, demanding negotiations on the financing of education in 1999 and the implementation of a parliament conclusion on selective education salary raises. After not being allowed into the ministry building, school unions representatives headed towards parliament, but police stopped them on a street accessing the square where the parliament building is. The unionists and their leaders tried to break through the police barrage, and even succeeded at one point, but were again stopped some 20m further by an even stronger police force. They returned to their headquarters, and expect the government to respond to their demands in written form. The school unions are seeking higher earmarking for education from the gross national product. They state Croatia's expenditure for education is the lowest in Europe, are unhappy with the overall situation in the Croatian educational system, and demand that the government set a final price for work in school. Today's protest was organised by the Negotiating Committee of five school unions, which two weeks ago organised a day-long strike in schools. The Croatian Teachers' Union did not take part in either protest, even though it is negotiating the 1999 salary policy with the government in association with unions of public and state services. (hina) ha jn