5,000 CROATIAN UNION MEMBERS MARCH TO LABOUR MINISTRY BUILDING

ZAGREB, Feb 21 (Hina) - About 5,000 members of the Alliance of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) gathered in Zagreb's central square shortly before noon on Wednesday and marched to the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry building to urge the government to begin talks on union demands. The SSSH demands that a government decision on a wage freeze be revoked, that the lowest basic wage be increased to 1,100 kuna (DM 300), a more just tax system, that a non-taxable part of monthly salary be increased from 700 to 1,100 kuna, and that workers' rights be regulated by collective agreements rather than by government decrees. SSSH members began to gather at three locations in the city around 10.00 hours and then converged on main Ban Jelacic Square where they were addressed by SSSH president Dragutin Lesar. Lesar said that talks with the government would begin on Wednesday. "Because of your arrival here, talks with the government will begin today," he said. (hina) vm mm 211307 MET feb 96