Congratulating citizens on International Workers' Day, Josipovic said this was a day when we must ask that people out of work got a job and say louder than ever that people who worked should get a wage off which they could live.
This is the day when we must ask for the prevention of abuses because of which people who work don't exercise their employment rights as envisaged by the law, he said.
There is only one way out in these hard times - work and solidarity, he said, adding that the state made sense only if it was a welfare state, if it reached out and helped those in difficulty.
There are successful companies, people and employers, but there are also those who live on the brink of poverty through no fault of their own, often because of crime and corruption, said Josipovic.
That's why the word 'solidarity' should be the key word, because the successful Croatia should reach out to those who are having a hard time, he said, adding that today should be a holiday of solidarity, optimism and faith that Croatia could do better through social partnership, vision and work.
The celebration was organised by the New Trade Union and the HUS union federation.
Tomislav Kis of the New Trade Union said workers should be told bad news by the government but not arrogantly.
Mario Ivekovic of HUS said no country had overcome a crisis such as Croatia's through arrogance but through unity, work and social dialogue.
He said the government was not offering social dialogue and that this was why unions gave it a symbolic yellow card at a rally earlier today.