Croatia Unions Urge Govt to Maintain Wages, Benefits

Croatia' public sector unions, which represent around 180,000 workers in a country of 4.2 million inhabitants, told BIRN that they will insist on the same terms in their new collective bargaining agreement with the government.

Negotiations started on Tuesday between unions and government on a new agreement regulating issues like wage increases, overtime, travel and transport fees and the number of annual vacation days.

The last agreement was signed in 2012, in the middle of the economic crisis, and is due to expire in mid-March.

Zeljko Stipic, the president of the 'Preporod' ('Revival') Union of Employees in the School System told BIRN, that although time was running out to reach an agreement, he saw "goodwill on the government's side".

Stipic said the unions are not threatening strikes if they do not get what they want.

"You never enter negotiations by threatening strikes… It's necessary to create a conciliatory attitude on both sides," he said.

He explained that at the meeting on Tuesday, Labour and Pension System Minister Tomislav Coric said that the authorities were not thinking of changing their terms if the new agreement is not signed before the old one expires.

"If there was a threat that they will stop paying out according to the old agreement and try to threaten [the unions] using the shortage of time [left to reach an agreement], then we would be forced to strike," Stipic said.

Stipic said that his union will not give up the rights they had in the previous agreement, arguing that the Croatian economy is on the route to recovery after the financial crisis.

 - and will also seek the better resolution of how transport expenses are paid out - claiming that reimbursement of 10 euro cents per...