Zagreb, 8 March 2010 – Croatian President Ivo Josipović met today with the delegation of women’s associations on the occasion of the International Women’s Day. While congratulating their day he pointed out that the principle of full equality between men and women was not yet accomplished. He announced that as the President of the Republic of Croatia he would be committed to better and more effective judiciary which will prevent violence over women in families, better protect each woman exposed to violence and avoid secondary victimisation.

Zagreb, 8 March 2010 – UATUC Women’s Section joined “caterpillar procession” organized by Croatian Women’s Network on the occasion of International Women’s Day, 8 March. At 11:00 the procession started at Kamenita vrata where they handed a list of demands to Šime Lučin, MP from Social Democratic Party (SDP), the only one who responded their invitation.

Carrying the slogan “Unattained women’s rights – state debt to women” they went to Zagreb’s main square, Ban Jelačić Square, where they reiterated their demands and warned about the frequent (ab)use of fixed-term employment. They demanded the limitation of fixed term work to one year at the most.

Zagreb, 5 March 2010 – Women’s rights at the labour market should not be discussed only on the International Women’s Day – it was said at today’s press conference organized jointly by women’s structure of three Croatian trade union confederations, UATUC, NHS and HUS. Trade unionists from the three confederations spoke about the analysis of gender issues included in collective agreements and launched the campaign “Protection of women and workers with family responsibilities through collective agreements”.

In cooperation with ITUC-PERC Women’s Network they will develop an action plan for a general trade union campaign aiming at including gender issues in collective agreements and promoting bargaining methodologies.

Our Office has analyzed about a hundred collective agreements but in order to implement protection of women at workplace certain conditions must be fulfilled. As long as jobs in Croatia are insecure it is difficult to expect concrete complaints submitted to the Office or court and that is a long-term problem. This is why we need collective agreements because their provisions can protect women at their workplaces – said Gordana Lukač-Koritnik, Ombudswomen for Gender Equality.

Zagreb, 4 March 2010 – All companies in the sector of low building are directly hit by the crisis and the lack of budget resources for infrastructural projects – said Mirko Štorga, President of Trade Union of Construction Industry of Croatia (SGH).

Companies doing business with public companies as investors could suffer the largest difficulties because due to the reduced inflow of money they have to slow down or completely stop the works. This will certainly have a negative effect on workers because according to estimates, companies will be forced to dismiss at least a quarter of workers in the sector of low building which is more than 2000 workers – pointed out Štorga.

Zadar, 3 March 2010 – For the first time in the Croatian judiciary practice a case of sexual harassment at workplace has resulted with a court verdict, issued on 2 March 2010 by the Municipality Court in Zadar. After the court proceeding which lasted for two years, former branch manager of Interspar Zadar was sentenced to six months in prison for violation of labour rights, while a housekeeper of the same establishment was sentenced to four months in prison and two years of probation for the act of sexual assault.

During the period of almost three years (May 2005 – March 2008) former branch manager was verbally harassing on the sexual basis one of the female workers in the shop, making comments on her looks, asking questions about her underwear, offering to drive her home and stating that he would like to have sexual intercourse with her. Such behaviour, as stated in the verdict, has violated worker’s dignity and caused fear and anxiety due to which she on many occasions asked for medical treatment in a psychiatric clinic.

Zagreb, 1 March 2010 – Vice-President of the Croatian Government Ivan Šuker should start negotiations with social partners this week about measures to support companies in difficulties which, within the existing loan programmes, have no possibilities to solve their problems made worse by the crisis.  

The Government is already developing a new act which would offer a few models of solving problems in companies operating at a loss what would not be reduced, as was the case in 2002, just to writing off debts.

- The aim of this act would not be to encourage companies to continue with non-paying their obligations to the state, said the Government but did not want to mention any concrete models. However one of the solutions already being considered is “reprivatisation”.

Zagreb, 28 February 2010 – Each month Croatia needs 2.9 billion kuna for pensions. After the workers pay all pension contributions the state still lacks 1.4 billion kuna which are covered from the budget what makes pensions the largest consumers of the budget. Therefore, pensions are among priority items to rationalize.

Each large wave of dismissals, such as the one existing in Croatia now because of the crisis, results in the increase of the number of early retirements. Employers are forcing thousands of people to retire by giving them severance pays and “buying off” their years of service, say trade unionists and add that those people could work for another five or ten years and instead of receiving money from the pension system, they could pay to this system. When employers offer such a plan, workers must be aware that due to five years of retiring earlier they will receive reduced pension till the rest of their lives. Croatia Retired Persons’ Party has calculated that due to early retirement at the age of 56 women loose about 560 kuna and men at the age of 60 about 630 kuna a month.

Zagreb, 25 February 2010 – Coordinator of trade union confederations Ana Knežević pointed out that in implementing reforms, the most important thing was to consider general Croatian interest. “If you want to reclaim a swamp, you do not ask frogs for their opinion”, said Knežević after today’s long meeting between leaders of trade union confederations and Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, and added that Croatia did not have a lot of time because the economic crisis was developing into social crisis and this could become a political crisis.

The Government asked trade union confederations for understanding for difficult moves it will have to make during this year, said Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor.

Zagreb, 25 February 2010 – After a meeting with the leaders of trade union confederations, Mr. Ivo Josipović, President of the Republic of Croatia, announced the establishment of a Council for social justice and the appointment of a commissioner for labour and workers' rights. He is open for the trade union confederations' proposals for the composition of that council, which will include also the representatives from a wider range. This Council should be a complement to the already established Economic Council, which was welcomed by a series of criticisms for being „a parallel Government“ and not including labour movement representatives.

„I want to gather the strongest employers in the Economic Councils, the ones who are a leverage of the ownership and capital on the Croatian market, and on the other side there will be a Council for Social Justice. In this way, both sides are very well represented, and I will represent the result of the synergy of the work of those two bodies“, said Josipović.

Zagreb, 25 February 2010 – Following the invitation from the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Croatia, the UATUC representatives met with the head of the Delegation, Ambassador to Croatia Mr. Paul Vandoren, second secretary and deputy head of Section for social cohesion, regional development and infrastructure Richard Máša and Rima Joujou Deljkić, task manager for social policy and employment. UATUC delegation was represented by its president Ana Knežević, Ana Milićević Pezelj, head of Organization, Education and Publishing Department, Marina Kasunić Peris, head of Industrial Democracy Department, Dijana Šobota, head of International Department and Darko Šeperić, coordinator for European integration.

Zagreb, 25 February 2010 – The Main Committee of the Autonomous Trade Union of Power Industry, Chemistry and Non-Metal Industry of Croatia (EKN) when discussing the model of merger between EKN and Metalworkers’ Trade Union of Croatia (SMH) adopted the proposal submitted by its Executive Committee which said the year 2010 is not a good year for merger, considering the state of affairs of the Croatian economy, the number of members, loss of members and the problems within the UATUC. Nevertheless they expressed their firm commitment to continuation of discussions with SMH and similar unions.

Zagreb, 22 February 2010 – Out of 310,000 unemployed persons almost 90,000 get some sort of unemployment benefit. However there is a large number of people in Croatia who are working but are not getting wages for months. According to the data of the Croatian Financial Agency (FINA) there are 48,454 such workers in companies and additional 24,526 workers working for craftsmen. Accounts of their companies are namely blocked so it is estimated that they do not pay wages to their workers.

Zagreb, 19 February 2010 – The UATUC marked the World Day for Social Justice, 20 February, by drawing attention to the real picture of “social state Croatia”, defined by the Constitution, where two thirds of today’s workers receive wages which are below average wage and where the average wage does not cover the minimum cost of living,

- The number of the unemployed has only in one year increased to 309,000 and there are almost no realistic chances of improvement in the near future. Such a high number of the unemployed is the result of expiry of fixed-term employment contracts but also of the reduction of business of their employers. If this trend continues, the number of the unemployed could grow up to 415,000 till the end of the year, warned Ivan Tomac, UATUC Vice-President for economy sector.

Zagreb, 18 February 2010 – After the inauguration at St. Mark’s Square in Zagreb, Ivo Josipović officially became the third Croatian president. Among 1000 guests, the UATUC President, Ana Knežević, also participated in the ceremony.

- I travelled through entire Croatia, visited hundreds of towns and villages and met thousands of people, many of which work hard but cannot live of their work. Many of them are unemployed; many are at the verge of existence. This needs to be changed! – said in his inauguration speech the new-elected President of the Republic of Croatia and pointed out, among others:

Zagreb, 17 February 2010 – The UATUC was visited today by representatives of the largest Italian trade union confederation CGIL from Rome which organizes about six million Italian workers and retired persons. Roberto Treu, Coordinator of the International Department, Gian Franco Benzi, responsible for the Balkans Region in the International Department and Antonio Morandi, form CGIL European Secretariat met the UATUC President Ana Knežević and her staff and later also presidents of trade unions affiliated to the UATUC.

Zagreb, 16 February 2010 – The new burden for citizens in the form of the increase of the basic VAT rate and the cancellation of zero rate is as bad as the crisis tax – said Ana Knežević, UATUC President, in UATUC press release. The UATUC demands from the Government to think about the possibilities to stimulate the consumption and saving and not about new tax restrictions because they will further reduce the living standard and consumption in the country. The UATUC calls for comprehensive changes and warns that each change of the tax system must go in the direction of fair burdening of all ranks of society and economy and that it must reduce tax evasion.

Zagreb, 16 February 2010 – Representatives of the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship were restrained at yesterday’s meeting held in the Ministry regarding the re-amending the Labour Code. Since its amending enabled the closure of negotiations on Chapter 19, the repeated amending of the Labour Code would mean the reopening of Chapter 19! On behalf of the Ministry, participants in the meeting were Krešimir Rožman and Inga Žic, employers were represented by Admira Ribičić and trade union side by Ana Knežević and Marina Kasunić Peris from the UATUC, Krešimir Sever from NHS, Vilim Ribić and Mirela Bojčić from MHS, Damir Jakuš from URSH and Miro Brzica and Jakov Babić from HUS.

Zagreb, 15 February 2010 – At the end of January the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) registered 309,562 unemployed persons, which is 18,017 persons or 6.2 percent more than in December and 55,271 persons or 21.7 percent more than in January last year.

For the first time since April 2006 (when there were 302,406 unemployed) the number of the unemployed is higher than 300,000.

Zagreb, 15 February 2010 – Within the preparatory phase of ILO/ITUC-PERC project entitled “Technical support with establishing educational strategy”, external ILO/ITUC education experts Agnieszka Ghinararu and Hubert Cambier visited the UATUC. The purpose of the project is to provide technical assistance to the UATUC in evaluating educational policy and practice and in developing a comprehensive strategy which could support the internal reforms of the organisation.

Educational experts met the UATUC President Ana Knežević, UATUC Vice-Presidents for Economy Sector Ivan Tomac, UATUC experts and presidents of trade unions affiliated to the UATUC.

Zagreb, 15 February 2010 – Ivan Tomac, UATUC Vice-President for Economy Sector, called upon Ivan Šuker, Vice-President of the Croatian Government in charge of economy, to convene an urgent meeting on the topic of the measures for assisting the endangered companies from economy sector.

Budapest, 12 February 2010 – A conference was held in Budapest on 10 and 11 February entitled “The Challenge of informal economy in Europe” within ITUC/PERC-FNV project. The conference was organized by PERC, FES and Hungarian trade unions. There were participants from 16 countries and participants from Croatia were Domagoj Ferdebar, Economic Policy Adviser (UATUC) and Goran Bakula, Economy Adviser (NHS).

The conference consisted of several thematic workshops. Before the workshops, representatives from Ukraine, Serbia and Domagoj Ferdebar from Croatia presented the success and failure of trade unions in dealing with informal economy during the project. The topics of the workshops were: government’s policies to reduce informal economy, social dialogue and trade union strategies for meeting the challenge of informal economy, approach to workers and organizing workers, changes in trade union strategies and structures, interest and services for special groups of workers (domestic workers, self-employed, migrants, etc.).

Zagreb, 12 February 2010 – The Croatian Government determined yesterday tender conditions for the second round of privatisation of Croatian shipyards and agreed on the wording of agreements regulating legal-property issues between the state and shipyards. Those agreements, as pointed out at the meeting, should reduce the cost of restructuring the shipyards.

Tenders for privatisation of six shipyards will be published no later than 15 February and with the deadline of 60 days.

Zagreb, 11 February 2010 – The Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in cooperation with DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities organized the conference entitled “Global crisis and its influence on Croatia”.

The conference on continuation of activities and implementation of the measures of the Joint Memorandum on Employment Policy Priorities (JAP) and Joint Memorandum on Social Inclusion (JIM) was held in hotel Four Points by Sheraton – Panorama in Zagreb.

Zagreb, 5 February 2010 – The Croatian Parliament established today a fund for economic recovery and development from which the state will, with two billion kuna, provide guarantees for loans for companies facing difficulties due to the crisis. The loans will, pursuant to the adopted act, be given for the period of at least three years and 10 years at the most, and a part of the money can be used for paying tax debt and re-programme loans obtained after 1 July 2008.

Zagreb, 2 February 2010 – Representatives of Austrian trade union PRO GE (Produktionsgewerkschaft) visited Metalworkers’ Trade Union of Croatia (SMH) and Autonomous Trade Union of Workers in Power Industry, Chemistry and Non-metal Industry of Croatia (EKN). President of PRO GE Rainer Wimmer, Federal Secretary Peter Schissler, representative of the International Department Martina Schneller-Bouchnak and President of PRO GE’s works council Toni Steinmetz were received by Vedran Dragičević, SMH Acting President, Ivan Tomac, EKN President and also President of the Confederation of Metal and Chemical Trade Unions of Croatia (KSMK), Ivo Marjanović, KSMK Vice-President and their colleagues.

Zagreb, 1 February 2010 – The Government is preparing a new act on trade unions which would define trade union representativity at national level and also trade union representativity for collective bargaining. Trade unions have so far only been informed about this but in what way does the Government plan to regulate trade union scene is still unknown. Only after the Office for Social Partnership gets the observations of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) regarding the proposal for determining representativity, will this be discussed among trade unions.

Zagreb, 29 January 2010 – According to purchasing power Croatia is at the 27^th place in Europe. The average purchasing power in Europe is 11,699 euro per capita and in Croatia it is 4,800 euro. Poland, Latvia, Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova are behind Croatia – said Ana Knežević, UATUC President, at today’s press conference when speaking about “trade union basket” for January 2010. As is well known, the UATUC has been monitoring the “basket” since 1994.

Zagreb, 27 January 2010 – Croatian Retired Persons’ Party (HSU) has called upon the Minister of Finances Ivan Šuker to explain to the public does the recently granted loan of the World Bank in the amount of 200 million euro come with some additional requirements regarding the pension system.

HSU is worried because the media wrote about the possible lifelong financial punishment for persons going to early retirement regardless whether they retire on their own free will or against it.

Zagreb, 26 January 2010 – Newly-elected President of the Republic of Croatia Ivo Josipović met the UATUC delegation in his temporary office. Apart from Ana Knežević, UATUC President, the members of the delegation were Ivan Tomac, UATUC Vice-President for Economy Sector and Ana Milićević Pezelj, Head of Organisation, Education and Publishing Department.

Opatija, 18 January 2010 – On 14 and 15 January 2010 a seminar was held within ICEM-IUF project for young trade unionists. About twenty participants from the Autonomous Trade Union of Workers in Power Industry, Chemistry and Non-Metal Industry of Croatia (EKN) and Trade Union of Tourism and Services of Croatia (STUH) were able to hear about representation of young people in German companies and developing trade union youth structures. The lecturer was Nadine Boltersdorf, young regional representative of German trade union of food processing industry, service and catering (NGG). Duška Lončar and Maja Mirt Bićanić from STUH talked about the new Croatian Labour Code which entered into force as of 1 January 2010, trade union statute and possibility of organizing youth section.

STUH Youth Section was founded at the seminar and Žaklina Begić from Pelikan Bookmakers d.o.o. Zagreb was elected its president.

Rijeka, 14 January 2010 – Croatian economy does not need development but salvation, said the UATUC Vice-President for Economy Sector Ivan Tomac at today’s round table on the situation of economy in Primorsko-goranska County organized by the UATUC in trade union house “Franjo Belulović in Rijeka. It is moreover necessary to re-examine the effects of the Act on Support for Maintaining Jobs because it did not give any positive results. Resources for supporting companies which had to reduce working week in order not to dismiss workers, of 250 million kuna remained unused and the number of the unemployed continuously grows.

Zagreb, 13 January 2010 – The leaders of the ruling coalition agreed yesterday on the principles of two projects aiming at strengthening the economy – funds for economic cooperation and a project leaning on the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR), the effects of which should be felt by the end of February, said the Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor after the meeting in the government.

Zagreb, 13 January 2010 – The new-elected President of the Republic of Croatia Ivo Josipović answered a journalist’s question – You announced the commitment for the protection of workers’ rights. What concrete steps are you planning to take? – with the following:

- Our problem is that we have laws which regulate workers’ rights relatively well but they are not implemented. One of my proposals will be the establishment of specialized courts for protecting workers’ rights.

The establishment of labour courts is one of the main demands of the UATUC which was not answered by the authorities.

Zagreb, 12 January 2010 – At today’s meeting of the Social and Economic Council (GSV) the social partners have unanimously supported two acts and a decree which continue the judiciary reform.

As reported by the Minister of Judiciary Ivan Šimonović after the meeting, Croatia started far-reaching judiciary reforms which require broad social coalition with the participation of trade unions and employers.

Zagreb, 11 January 2010 – Candidate of the opposition Social Democratic Party, Ivo Josipović, will be the new President of Republic of Croatia for the next five years. Josipović won 60.3% of the vote in the second round held on 10 January, beating the independent candidate and mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandić.

Josipović based his campaign on the programme called “New Justice” and uncompromising fight against corruption, and stressed his belief that “citizens of Croatia want to live in a country in which work is rewarded and criminal punished, in the country of social security and equal chances”. “I want European Croatia, European not only by membership in the EU but also by the values we stand for – human rights, rights of national minorities, religious freedoms, democracy and freedom, workers’ rights and social justice, culture, education and protection of environment.”

Zagreb, 22 December 2009 – The second round of privatisation of shipyards is postponed till the beginning of February, said yesterday Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor. Even though the second round was announced for
6 January, the Prime Minister said that she would, in agreement with the European commission, postpone it till the beginning of February. The tender will be 60 days longer and the Government will make sure that the shipyards “survive” till the end of privatisation process, she promised.

However, what will happen if the tender fails and we encounter even larger problems? We will start the preparations for the worst case scenario because one has to be prepared to everything. We will invite both trade unions and managements to find a solution. We have to face the truth and not hide our heads in the sand. We will do everything to make the second round of privatisation successful but we also have to be prepared for other possibilities, without hiding our heads in the sand, said the Prime Minister.

Zagreb, 21 December 2009 – The UATUC Youth Section held its Assembly on 21 December 2009, in Zagreb, electing the new team: Josipa Božičević (Metalworkers’ Trade Union) was elected President, Ivan Blažević (TU of Tourism and Services) vice-president and Dijana Šobota (UATUC) as executive secretary. The newly elected members of the Executive Committee are Boris Ljubojević (SITŠ), Domagoj Ferdebar (UATUC), Natalija Čuk (STUH), Marin Vuletić (SGH) and Nikša Štrucelj (SMH). The Assembly also had the educational character, where the delegates had a chance to discuss about the role of youth structures in the unions, position of youth at the labour market, on best practice examples, current activities and future actions and objectives of the Section. Youth section adopted its plan and programme for the forthcoming period, concentrating among others on the need to attract new young members, to strengthen and empower youth sections in trade unions, need for enhanced training and education, building alliances and participation in the activities at the European and international level.

Zagreb, 14 December 2009 – Six delegates from the Ministry of Finances from the Peoples’ Republic of China, led by Sun Zhijun, Head of the Social Security of the Ministry of Finances of China, visited today the Retired Persons’ Trade union of Croatia (SUH). They were welcomed by Matija Jurić, UATUC Secretary, who informed them about organisation and activities of the UATUC. SUH President Stjepan Krajačić and Ivan Nahtigal, member of SUH Presidency and the President of the Pension System Board, spoke about SUH activities.

Zagreb, 4 December 2009 – After the adoption of the new Labour Code in the Croatian Parliament, the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC) sent the following press release to the media:

The Labour Code adopted in the Croatian Parliament is the expression of neoliberal cynicism of those in power: harmonisation with the EU acquis communautaires was used for further degradation of labour and workers what is contrary to the spirit of the European acquis. As a consequence, health and safety of workers will be endangered through flexible organisation of working time and work existence will be blackmailed through consecutive conclusion of fixed-term employment contracts.

Zagreb, 4 December 2009 – The Croatian Parliament adopted today the new Labour Code and the Government’s amendment regarding the prohibition of night work for pregnant women unless she requests so by herself or the authorized doctor approves. 79 MPs voted for the new Labour Code, 2 were against and MPs from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Croatian Peoples’ Party (NHS), Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) and independent MP Dragutin Lesar left the assembly hall calling the new Labour Code “anti-workers”.

Zagreb, 2 December 2009 – Members of the UATUC Women’s Section distributed today in front of the building of the Croatian Parliament “women’s thank you notes” to MPs who will vote FOR the final proposal of the Labour Code. As it is stated in the “thank you note” the new Labour Code is an act killing Croatian families and reducing rights of women.

Zagreb, 30 November 2009 – Economy sector trade unions affiliated to the UATUC proposed to the Government and Croatian Employers’ Association (HUP) an agreement in which they demanded no lay-offs in economy sector in 2010; wages in 2010 at the level of 31 December this year; signing the general collective agreement (for those who do not have branch or company level collective agreements) guaranteeing the minimum wage and coefficients; statistical monitoring of wages, without managerial wages and special contracts; establishment of an intervention guarantee fund for assisting employers suffering from losses due to global crisis, reduction of orders and loss of jobs in 2009; merging all means and forms of country’s social policy in one crisis fund for the most endangered; development and systematisation of the consequences of the economic crisis through tripartite dialogue at local and national level; drafting an act which will, after the cancellation of crisis tax, compensate for its damages; protection of domestic production according to the principles of old EU member states.

Zagreb, 26 November 2009 – According to the survey conducted among the citizens of Croatia about the important issues, what worries them the most are the issues of unemployment, job creation and economic growth. The survey was conducted in November this year with a representative sample of 1000 Croatian citizens above 15 years of age.

Zagreb, 24 November 2009 – Participating in the forum organized by the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia and Friedrich Ebert Foundation about the new economic policy, the economic expert Ljubo Jurčić pointed out that 80 percent of the crisis in Croatia was caused by our own mistakes and only 20 percent by spill-over effect from the global crisis.

“Croatia is now facing the truth – its consumption is larger than production, its import is larger than export, it has a large foreign debt, its competitiveness is constantly decreasing and, due to deindustrialisation, it no longer has domestic products”, warned Jurčić and added that this year’s GDP would, due to the crisis, decrease for 5.5 percent.

Zagreb, 19 November 2009 – As was announced the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Mr. Luka Bebić met the trade union delegation. At this meeting, presidents Ana Knežević (UATUC), Krešimir Sever (NHS), Ozren Matijašević (HUS) and Damir Jakuš (URSH) submitted trade union amendments to the draft Act on Labour proposed by the Government. They explained the most problematic issues, demanding special attention to be paid to the issue of fixed-term work.

Zagreb, 19 November 2009 – Zagreb main square Trg bana Josipa Jelačića saw around 1.500 members of four trade union confederations – Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC/SSSH), Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (ITUC/NHS), Croatian Trade Union Association (HUS) and Association of Workers’ Trade Unions of Croatia (URSH) – who gathered at the trade union rally/public discussion about the final draft of the Act on Labour. 

Trade union leaders Ana Knežević (UATUC/SSSH), Krešimir Sever (NHS), Ozren Matijašević (HUS) and Damir Jakuš (URSH) addressed the demonstrators and emphasized that the Government’s draft Act on Labour, which has to be amended due to the harmonization process of Croatian legislation with the acquis communautaire of the EU, has actually been done under the strong interest influence of the employers’ lobby.

Zagreb, 19 November 2009 - The only trade union confederation not participating in the protest is Matica (Association of Croatian Public Service Unions), whose deputy president Mr. Vilim Ribić said in public that Croatia has far bigger problems than the Act on Labour and that we should not waste our energy and time on demonstrating for Act on Labour!

Zagreb, 18 November 2009 – The Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC), Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (HNS), Croatian Trade Union Association (HUS) and the Association of Workers’ Trade Unions of Croatia (URSH) will organize a public discussion about the final draft of the Labour Code on Thursday, 19 November 2009 at the main square in Zagreb, Ban Jelačić Square, starting at 08:30.

The speakers will be: Ana Knežević - UATUC President, Krešimir Sever, NHS President, Ozren Matijašević – HUS President and Damir Jakuš – URSH President.

At the same time some trade union representatives will distribute leaflets to MPs in front of the building of the Croatian Parliament, before the beginning of its 15^th session. The participants in the public discussion at Ban Jelačić Square will, after hearing the addresses of trade union leaders, head towards the building of the Croatian Parliament (Mark’s Square). Presidents of trade union confederations, which organized the public discussion, will request to be received by the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Luka Bebić.

Zagreb, 17 November 2009 – The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia has ruled that the crisis tax is constitutional, that is, in line with the Article 14 of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia. The judge rapporteur Mario Jelušić pointed out that the Act protects the principle of the social state because it enables the regular payment of social benefits.

Zagreb, 17 November 2009 - Eduard Andrić, President of the Trade Union of Tourism and Services of Croatia (STUH), affiliated to the UATUC, sent an open letter to Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor with the demand to exclude tourist companies in the portfolio of the Croatian Privatisation Fund from the reduction of wages in public and state companies:

Zagreb, 16 November 2009 – Hostility towards women at the labour market is omnipresent, it vas said at today’s round table organized by newspaper and Internet portal business.hr and Mreža znanja (investment and consulting firm).

Women represent the majority in population but minority in employment, warned Jagoda Milidrag Šmid, County Representative of the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC) for the City of Zagreb, adding that women are segregated at the labour market and work primarily in commerce, manufacturing industry, education, health care, social services and public administration.

According to the data of the Central Bureau of Statistics for 2008, the employment rate for women was 37.5 and for men 52.2 percent.

Milidrag Šmid said that the female gender combined with the age above 45 years results in unemployment and added that soft totalitarianism is in effect in Croatia and we are not aware of it.

Zagreb, 22 October 2009 – The tender for privatization six state owned shipyards, based on the model agreed with the European Commission and published in August, resulted with only two valid offers, for only two shipyards. One of two offers assumed abandonment of shipbuilding business after restructuring, and the other one, although taken as valid, failed to meet the tender condition to provide funds for at least 40 percent of the restructuring costs. In both cases, price offered was 1 Kuna. It seems that both offers will be declined.

Zagreb, 22 October 2009 – In the course of one month two unions, Seafarers’ Union of Croatia and Autonomous Trade Union of Health Care and Social Protection Service of Croatia, have left the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia.

Split, 21 October 2009 - Although the hunger strike started by shop stewards in Split Ironworks in late August ended few days later after the meeting with Prime Minister, on which they were promised payment of due wages and finding permanent solution for the company until the end of October, it seems that agony of one of two remaining large ironwork plants in Croatia and its workers is far from over.

Company’s current owner, Polish Zlomrex, of which we wrote in last edition of UATUC Info, whose overall business performance in 2008 was poor, has brought  Split Ironworks into debt, which caused blocking of company’s account and suspending all production in mid-April. At the same time, Zlomrex failed to pay salaries and stopped all communication with workers, which urged workers’ representatives to demand termination of the privatisation contract and finding a new owner which would restart production process.

Zagreb, 14 October 2008 - 2009 Progress Report for Croatia, which European Commission published as part of its Enlargement Package on 14 October, in its overall tone and content much resembles to the last year’s one. Commission reckons that Croatia has achieved some or substantial progress in most of the negotiation areas but at the same time warns that most of the crucial problems outlined in previous reports still remains.

Until October 2009 Croatia has opened 28 and provisionally closed 12 out of total 35 negotiation chapters. Due to the border dispute with Slovenia, which was holding accession negotiations at halt from November 2008 until October this year, it is not possible to achieve timeline proposed by Commission last year and conclude negotiations by the end of 2009, but reports states that they could be closed during 2010, provided Croatia meets all necessary conditions.

However, Commission also clearly states that problem with Slovenia was not the only reason for negotiations not progressing in line with the proposed roadmap, referring particularly to the opening of chapters on the judiciary and fundamental rights and competition which have not progressed as planned. Moreover, the list of areas in which progress was unsatisfactory is basically the same as in last year’s report, including reform of the judiciary and public administration, corruption and organised crime, minority rights including return of the refugees, war crime trials and cooperation with the ICTY.

Zagreb, 7 October 2009 – Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia and Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (NHS), two Croatian confederation affiliated to ITUC, jointly marked World Day for Decent Work. In a letter sent to Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, UATUC and NHS asked for support in defending the decency of work and of the workers, through planned amendments of the Labour Law.

Reminding that as ILO member Croatia is obliged to participate in fulfilling the ILO Decent Work Agenda, UATUC and NHS proposed that in future Government should be actively included in marking the World Day for Decent Work, thus contributing to raising awareness about the need to return the decency to the work of Croatian Workers. It should be the aim of every government to secure the decent job for every worker and full respect of the workers’ rights, says the letter signed by UATUC President Ana Knežević and NHS President Krešimir Sever.

7 October 2009 – In the interval of just few days, Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor received letters from both ETUC General Secretary John Monks and ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder expressing their concerns about the announcements of Croatian Government to introduce further liberalisation and flexibilisation through the new Labour Law. While John Monks was especially concerned about the provisions on working time and fixed-term contracts, Guy Ryder, in addition, also emphasized the lack of Government’s effort in continuing ratification of the important ILO conventions.

24 September 2009 – Two day workshop “The impact of the crisis and the future of the work legislation in EU and SE Europe” organised by ETUI and the Centre for regional cooperation and European integration gathered 20 trade union legal experts from Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Croatia.

23 September 2009 – ILO Mission, headed by Mark Levin, Director of Sub-regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe, visited Zagreb to meet with representatives of trade union confederations and discuss current situation in Croatia as well as trade union view on the role of the ILO in Croatia. Beside UATUC, the meeting with ILO Mission included representatives from Independent Trade Unions of Croatia, Association of Croatian Unions and Croatian Trade Union Association.

Zagreb, 21 September – According to the recent projections made by the Croatian Employment Service, by the end of the year the unemployment registry could increase to between 280 and 295 thousands. In July, number of unemployed persons was 5% higher than the year before, and by the end of the year increase could come up to 15%, says the report presented at the meeting of the Economic and Social Council.

18 September 2009 – Continuing the joint project of LO Norway and UATUC, three day seminar on the communication in the trade unions was held in Trogir. Ten participants from UATUC and affiliated unions had opportunity to share Norwegian experiences on communication and publishing in trade unions and to simultaneously discuss current and future UATUC activities in this field.

Zagreb, 15 September – UATUC President Ana Knežević has sent to the Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor a response on the Agreement on Social Partnership proposed by the Government. “Agreement on Social Partnership for Overcoming the Crisis is not acceptable for UATUC in the content and timeline proposed by the Government. We are not ready to sign a document that will enable all parties to continue functioning as they did until now”, stated Knežević.

UATUC is however open for the dialogue and ready to actively participate in formulating the policies which will put country on the right track. As responsible social partner, we are ready to take part of the responsibility proportional to acceptance of measures proposed by UATUC, but we can not accept responsibility for the economic and social consequences of Government’s unilateral decisions.

Zagreb, 2 September – During its visit to the Trade Union of Metalworkers of Croatia, the delegation of the Works Council of Austrian Trade Union Confederation (ÖGB) met with UATUC President Ana Knežević, President of the UATUC Works Council Nikola Badovinac and other staff members. The meeting was opportunity to exchange experiences in the functioning of the works councils and compare differences between legal provisions about their work in Austria and Croatia.

Zagreb, 31 August – UATUC initiated a procedure in front of the Constitutional Court on the legality of the Law on the special tax on salaries, retirements and other income. The Law is being disputed on the basis of violating the constitutional principles of proportionality, fairness as well as horizontal and vertical equality of the tax system which stipulate that the tax burden must be distributed according to the economic capacity.

Furthermore, the implementation of the Law puts into question declaration of Republic of Croatia as a social state, ignoring the responsibility to guarantee a social welfare, justice and security for the citizens.

Zagreb, 31 August – Two budged amendments and four important laws adopted during summer have not been discussed by the Economic and Social Council, which did not function for two months, for a reason that the Government did not appoint its representatives.

Split, 28 August – After meeting with the Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, during which they received confirmation that the Government has paid minimal salary for workers in Split Ironworks for June, and a promise that solution for remaining salaries and the future of the company will be found by the end of October, four shop stewards cancelled strike hunger started four days ago.

Zagreb, 27 August - After more than a year of intensive negotiations with the European Commission, in which the privatisation model of six Croatian shipyards was finally agreed, and a number of meetings with trade union and management representatives, in July the Croatian Government finally reached the decision on privatisation of shipyards. On 1 August the Croatian Privatisation Fund published a public tender for the purchase of shares of shipyards 3. maj, Brodograđevna industrija Split, Brodogradilište Kraljevica, Brodotrogir, Uljanik and Brodosplit – Special Vessels Shipyard (BSO) with the deadline for submitting offers on 30 September 2009.

Zagreb, 17 August 2009 – Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) has published instructions and forms for employers applying for reduced working week subsidy. All employers wishing to use subsidies for workers whose working week will be reduced, can as of today submit a request. The requests are submitted to local HZZ offices according to the headquarters of the employer or “organisational unit”.

Family farms, employers in difficulties and employers using employment subsidies are not entitled to reduced working week subsidy.

According to the Act on Subsidies for Maintaining Employment, which will be in force till the end of 2010, employers can, in agreement with trade unions, reduce the working week to 32 hours and obtain state subsidies in the amount of the difference of contributions. The state will compensate the difference of the reduced net wage in the amount of 10 percent, or 13 percent for workers with children. Workers receiving minimum wage will be compensated only up to 20 percent of the difference in contributions before and after the reduction of the working week.

Zagreb, 23 July 2009 – If the proposed Government’s measures start to apply – 3 percent tax on all income above 3,000 kuna (cca 400 EUR) and increase of VAT to 23 percent – in two or three months the state will go bankrupt, said Ana Knežević, UATUC President, at today` press conference. She also added that new taxes inevitably start a cyclic circle in which the consumption is decreased, hence also the production and overall economic activity which results with dismissals and more pressure on the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ), that is, with larger expenses for the state. She explained that the “crisis tax” was proposed by Damir Jakuš, President of Association of Workers` Trade Union of Croatia (URSH), who was at that position preceded by Boris Kunst, now a Member of the Croatian Parliament.

Zagreb, 22 July 2009 – “Crisis tax” of 3 percent and the increase of VAT from current 22 to 23 percent is the newest proposal in negotiations between the Croatian Government, trade unions and employers. According to this proposal zero VAT on bread, milk, medicines, orthopaedic aids and books, which complies with EU acquis communautaires, would be cancelled.

Trade unions and employers were shocked by the Government’s latest proposal of introducing “crisis tax”. Namely, if the state introduced this new tax, it would be applied not only to all wages and pensions above 3,000 kuna (cca 400 EUR) but also all kinds of income (author’s fees, managerial bonuses, dividends). This would bring somewhat less than 2 billion kuna (cca 270 million EUR) to the state budget, but trade unionists warn that such linear taxation of everything would represent an additional burden for citizens` standard, whereas the employers complain that this tax would additionally discourage entrepreneurship and reduce the already weak competitiveness of the Croatian economy.

Zagreb, 22 July 2009 – It is almost two months now that the shops are again, following the decision of the Constitutional Court, open on Sundays. Did the work on Sundays increase the employment in commercial sector? The statistics have namely shown that in the first three months of this year 39,000 jobs (in shops) were lost. President of the Commercial Trade Union of Croatia Dragica Mišeljić, still feels that the prohibition of Sunday work did not cause job losses.

- Our position is the same as it was when the Act on prohibition of Sunday work entered into force, and that is that the non-work on Sundays would not influence business operations in a significant way. The unfortunate circumstance is of course the crisis so we cannot distinguish between the consequences of the crisis and the consequences of non-work on Sundays.

Zagreb, 20 July 2009 – UATUC President Ana Knežević sent a letter to the Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor containing the conclusions of the UATUC Council regarding the situation in Croatian economy, the scope of the crisis and the effects of the adopted measures. The conclusions are the following:

Zagreb, 20 July 2009 – At today’s meeting with trade unions and employers the Croatian Government proposed to lower the wages for employees in public services for additional 6 percent as well as the non-payment of vacation and Christmas bonuses for this and the following year. Trade unions will not accept this proposal, at least until they hear who else will shoulder the burden of the crisis, said the Vice-President of the Association of Croatian Trade Unions Vilim Ribić and the President of the Autonomous Trade Union of Workers in Health and Social Protection Service of Croatia Spomenka Avberšek.

Zagreb, 15 July 2009 - Workers' organising in Croatia is obstructed by workers’ dependence on short-term contracts, which especially affects women workers, and by inefficient courts and labour inspectorates, says the Annual Survey of violation of human rights 2009, published by International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Zagreb, 1 July 2009 - Although talks about unblocking Croatian accession negotiations have been described by DG Enlargement as "progressing well" in last months, no agreement has been reached after the last meeting of the Croatian and Slovenian Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 18 June. Negotiations about last proposal coming from Commissioner Olli Rehn, which envisaged forming of five-member arbitral tribunal to solve the border dispute, have thus come to a dead end, as Slovenia was ready to accept the proposal only with amendments that Croatia found unacceptable.

Zagreb, 1 July 2009 - Croatian Prime Minister Mr Ivo Sander resigned as prime minister of Croatian government and chief of biggest Croatian political party HDZ at a press conference held today at 14.00 hours. "I have decided to withdraw from active politics and will not run as a candidate for Croatian president" in presidential elections due in 2010, Mr Sanader told a specially convened press conference in Zagreb.

Zagreb, 29 June 2009 - After weeks of joint advocating the idea by both UATUC and Croatian Employers Association (CEA/HUP), at the end of July Croatian Government finally accepted to start negotiations with social partners about possible shortening of the work week. Following the models already introduced in some EU member states such as Austria and Germany, social partners have been pushing for a possibility of state subsidy for nonworking Friday in the companies most severely hit by the crisis.

Zagreb, 29 June 2009 - Today a meeting was held between the representatives of industrial trade unions affiliated to the UATUC and HUP CRO industry. The topic of the meeting was the reduction of the working week and the joint activities to be undertaken by employers and trade unions. The following conclusions were reached:

Zagreb, 24 June 2009 - Reduced working week as one of the measures for protecting industry from the effects of the crisis and for keeping jobs was the topic of today’s meeting held between the Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, Croatian Employers` Association (HUP) and trade union confederations.

HUP and the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC) have come up with a joint proposal for the reduction of working week. The joint HUP-UATUC proposal relates to certain industries which can temporarily reduce their working week for one day without losses in technological processes. In this case the wages would also be reduced and a part of the remuneration for the “Friday off” would be paid by the state.

Zagreb, 17 June 2009 (hrt.hr) - After long negotiations in Brussels Croatia agreed with the European Commission on the model of privatisation of all six shipyards, and the tender for their privatisation will be published in the beginning of July, said the Vice-president of the Government Damir Polančec after the meeting between the Croatian negotiating team and European Commissioner for Competition Neellie Kroes. A smaller reduction of the total capacities of Croatian shipyards was agreed in Brussels. At the end of the restructuring process the total capacity of Croatian shipyards will be 413,000 tonnes instead of 393,000 as was discussed before.

In the process of privatisation of Uljanik shipyard, the only profitable shipyard, 25 percent of shares will be offered to workers under special conditions. The nominal value will be the initial price also for the sale of shares of Special Vessels Shipyard (SBO) in Split for the total ownership package. For shipyards Brodosplit, Brodotrogir, 3. Maj and Kraljevica the initial price for the ownership package will be one kuna.

Kotor, 16/17 June 2009 - On 16-17 June 2009 SEE sub-regional workshop was held in Kotor, Montenegro within the ITUC-PERC framework of the Informal Economy project supported by the FNV and co-financed by the LO-TCO. The event was attended by Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro trade union representatives responsible for the work with IE workers.

Oslo, 15 June 2009 – The six-member delegation of the UATUC (composed of Ana Knežević, President, Ana Milićević Pezelj, head of Organization, Education and Publishing Department, Dijana Šobota, head of International Department, Željko Slunjski, PR and chief journalist and editor, Ljubomira Lončar, General Secretary and legal advisor in the Trade Union of Tourism and Services and Jasenka Vukšić, General Secretary and legal advisor in the Construction Trade Union of Croatia) went to a study visit to Norway to meet with colleagues from the LO. The topics of the discussion were the Nordic/Norwegian model, tripartite and bipartite social dialogue and collective bargaining, gender equality, EFTA-EEA etc.

Zagreb, 12 June 2009 - As trade unions representing public servants did not follow the example of civil servants who accepted giving up salary increase of 6% that was granted by existing collective agreements, the start of strike in education, healthcare, social services and cultural institutions was announced for 13 and 14 May, the day after public servants received first decreased salaries. Although tough negotiations between the trade unions and the Government lasted long into the night of the 12 May, no agreement has been reached and the strike started next morning.

The response to strike has been even higher than trade unions expected, counting for around 90% in education and science institutions.

Zagreb, 2 June 2009 – Presidency of the UATUC Council adopted a decision on the joint and coordinated action of increasing the number of members. It will be based on increasing the number of members in companies and institutions where affiliated branch unions already have their local unions, on establishing new local unions, recruitment of individual members in the Autonomous Trade Union of Croatia (a UATUC affiliate) if they do not belong to any of the branch unions, as well as on organizing migrant workers.

Zagreb, 30 May 2009 – As of Monday, 1 June, shops will, during tourism season, be open on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

President of the Commercial Trade Union of Croatia, Dragica Mišeljić, said that she was not a big optimist because the past practice had shown that workers who worked on Sundays were not paid for that work and were also not given a day off during the week.  I expect that employers finally change their attitude towards workers and profit, and we as trade union well closely monitor how the situation is developing, said Mišeljić

Koločep, 29 May 2009 – Within the joint LOFF-UATUC project a seminar was held on communication in trade unions on the island of Koločep, near Dubrovnik, on 27 – 29 may 2009. The project is financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. About ten participants from the UATUC and its affiliated trade unions who deal with information/communication and public relations were able to hear how communication strategy and internal communication plan are developed and information about trade union publications in Norway and new media channels.

Zagreb, 26 May 2009 – At today’s extraordinary meeting, the Presidency of the UATUC Council reached a unanimous decision on the refusal of the offer made by the Croatian Employers` Association (HUP) regarding the harmonisation of the Labour Code with EU acquis communautaires. Namely, HUP will accept all trade union proposals from the draft proposal of the Labour Code from January 2009 if trade unions give up on the changes of fixed-term labour.

Zagreb, 22 May 2009 - György Károly, Secretary for International Relations of the Hungarian Trade Union Confederation (MszOSz), visited yesterday the UATUC. Dijana Šobota, Head of the International Department and Darko Šeperić, Advisor for European Integrations, talked to Károlyjem about the future bilateral cooperation between the two confederations, about the possibilities of financing joint projects in border regions of Croatia and Hungary through IPA funds, about the experience of Hungarian trade unions in EU accession process and about the activities of Hungarian National Trade Union Coordination for European Integrations.

Zagreb, 22 May 2009 – Detailed analysis of the harmonisation with economy sector was what the trade unions of public services were dealing with in the last few days after achieving the agreement with the Government and giving up on strike and protest. The price of social peace achieved in public and civil services for the state budget will be between 6.5 and 8.5 billion kuna, said Vilim Ribić, leader of the trade union of public services. 

Trade union also said that the Agreement will benefit not only the employees in public and civil services but also all Croatian citizens which will, due to such wage policy, get motivated personnel in education, health services and other sectors. The Agreement is also good for public finances because, according to trade union, the state has a chance a year and a half time to implement public sector reform in order to rationalize and save and to implement wage policy. The Agreement is not good for large projects such as Pelješac Bridge, because of the lack of resources, and also not good for those ho spend on a large scale for the benefit of non-profitable producers.

Zagreb, 21 May 2009 - The Croatian Government adopted the National Plan for Stimulation of Employment for this and the following year which should increase the labour force offer and investment in human potential and improve adaptability of workers and companies. The foreseen measures will be implemented through different state bodies which will invest 520 million kuna (70 million euro) in employment, out of which 130 million kuna (18 million euro) will be allocated to education and self-employment through the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ). The additional 20 million euro will be provided by IPA programme for the development of human potential.

The Vice-President of the Government, Damir Polančec, said that unemployment had started to decrease and that the number of the unemployed in April was for 2490 lower than in March. “This must be the consequence of the beginning of tourist season but it is definitely a number which makes us happy”, added Polančec

Prague, 16 May 2009 – About 30,000 participants gathered in Prague at euro-demonstrations organized by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) within the campaign against the crisis and said NO to the abuse of financial capitalism which is leading to ever more social injustice and inequalities. European trade unions called for the new social deal which puts social justice, solidarity and more and better jobs at the heart of the priorities.

Zagreb, 12 May 2009 – ÖGB expert, Alexander Prischl, talked about the Austrian model of short-time work to the representatives of trade unions affiliated to the UATUC and UATUC experts. He presented the recent employment data in Austria. As compared with April 2008, the number of the employed in Austria decreased for 1.1 percent. The largest problems are in production sectors, especially in metal and chemical industry.

Zagreb, 7 May 2009 – Today the Retired Persons' Trade Union of Croatia (SUH), affiliated to the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia, and European Federation of Retired and Elderly Persons (FERPA), started a campaign in all the counties of Croatia for the defence of the rights of retired persons, under the title Sign and support the Fighting list of SUH. The Fighting list contains 32 demands that transparently express the positions and objectives of SUH.

Zagreb, 1 May 2009 – Under the motto “We want to work and to be able to live from work” more than 200 participants, members of trade unions affiliated to three Croatian trade union confederations (Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia/UATUC, Independent Trade unions of Croatia/NHS and Association of Workers` Trade Unions of Croatia/URSH) somewhere around 10 o’clock started a protest march from the main square in Zagreb – Trg bana Josipa Jelačića – to Maksimir park – the traditional place of gathering on Labour Day.

Zagreb, 28 April 2009 – For the third year in a row the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC) commemorates the National Day for Occupational Safety and Health. On 27 April a press conference was organized to mark the 14^th International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers. This year’s activities, which were focused on the topic of risk and hazard assessment, and the promotion of sustainable jobs, included the distribution of a poster to trade unions affiliated to the UATUC and a number of round tables and meetings held in different regions where issues of particular concern were discussed.

Zagreb, 22 April 2009 – UATUC expressed its full support to students’ demands against the commercialization of the Croatian education system. UATUC advocates the right of access to education, including high education, of all citizens of Croatia, regardless of their material status, political suitability, race, nationality, sex, etc., dependent only on their academic success and achieved results. One of the tasks of the social state is to ensure high quality and universal accessibility of the education system, for all. Hence in order to achieve economic and social progress of Croatia, it is crucial that knowledge is accessible to everyone, not only to the chosen elite. High quality education presents an opportunity for everyone, especially for the most vulnerable ones, to achieve social inclusion and decent living, and it is only economic independence that guarantees freedom and individual’s right to choice. Knowledge-based society begins with an individual’s knowledge!