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.

Speakers at today’s press conference were the President of the Autonomous Trade Union of Workers in Power Industry, Chemistry and Non-Metal Industry of Croatia (EKN) Ivan Tomac, President of Trade Union of the Employed in Agriculture, Food, Tobacco and Water Industries of Croatia (PPDIV) Josip Pavić, President of the Metalworkers’ Trade Union of Croatia (SMH) Vedran Dragičević and President of Trade Union of Construction Industry of Croatia (SGH) Mirko Štorga. They spoke in more details about economic reality in their sectors.

Ivan Tomac reminded of the words of the former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader from March 2009, reiterated also by the current Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor in November, that “the Government will defend every job”. The data show different situation. In the first nine months of this year 37,000 jobs have been lost! Workers in economy sector can no longer endure – concluded Tomac and added that out of 37,793 new unemployed, 31,259 come from economy sector.

Crisis is nothing new for Croatian workers – said Josip Pavić – because Croatia is in a crisis for the last twenty years. Even though the Government and employers are trying to convince us that the new Labour Code will not reduce workers’ rights, the truth is different and trade unions are against this reduction. The Government should strengthen weak Croatian economy – said Pavić announcing the possibility of protests and strikes.

“The crisis is not over, it will be even stronger in 2010 and will cause many bankruptcies”, said Vedran Dragičević and also mentioned the second round of the privatisation of shipyards which is something trade unions were not informed about. “11,000 jobs are at risk and without workers, this country will go bankrupt”, said Dragičević.

Mirko Štorga analyzed the situation in construction sector and said that there are violations of labour and social rights of workers even though the SGH has one branch and 47 company level collective agreements. The Government cannot act as a stepmother to workers in real sector”, said Štorga.