Croatia

EPSU letterEPSU has sent a letter to the Croatian president expressing its support for the SLSN state and local government trade union which is concerned about draft legislation on pensions and retirement age in the public sector. The legislation will mean that the government can terminate contracts when civil servants reach 65 or 35 years of qualifying service. The union is worried that the government will use the new rules to force women to retire as part of a strategy to cut 12000 jobs from the civil service. In its letter EPSU highlights the importance of gender equality and particularly

The European and global trade union confederations - ETUC and ITUC - have written to the prime minister in support of the Croatian trade unions and to express their concerns about draft labour legislation. The ETUC and ITUC argues that the effect of the legislation will be to undermine social dialogue and marginalise the trade unions. Unions organised a protest outside parliament on 26 February to coincide with the latest reading of the legislation. There was also a solidarity strike across the country on 25 February in support of two separate disputes at a knitwear factory and medical

EPSU lettter to PMEPSU has written to the Prime Minister and Labour Minister in support of the SDLSN state and local government union and in protest at the government's attack on collective bargaining. The government is planning to withhold the payment of service bonuses to civil servants. This not only fails to comply with the collective agreement (specifically article 45) that the government signed in August 2012 and the agreed procedure for amendments to the collective agreement but it also contravenes Article 10 of Annex II to the Collective Agreement for Civil Servants and Employees with

Public sector unions are consulting their members over organising a major day of action to protest at pay cuts and attacks on collective bargaining. The unions began their anti-government campaigning at this year's May Day rally and are planning an action that would effectively blocked key services to demonstrate the importance and value of public services to citizens and the economy. [Read more at news website > Dalje (EN)->http://dalje.com/en-croatia/unions-threaten-to-block-entire-public-sector/464962] [And further at > Dalje (EN)-> Dalje (EN)->http://dalje.com/en-croatia/ministers-tell

Letter to Minister of EconomyEPSU has written to the Minister of the Economy to complain about the government's interference in social dialogue and collective bargaining at the HEP electricity company HEP. The letter points out that the intervention has made it difficult for the unions and management of the company to reach agreement on a collective agreement for the first time in 18 years. EPSU also calls on the government to promote the social dialogue and collective bargaining as was also agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding on the Social Aspects of the Energy Community.

The government unilaterally cut salaries for public servants by amending the law that regulates basic pay in the sector, even though pay normally is subject to collective bargaining. The main public service unions have rejected the pay cut and also criticise the government for its unilateral action which, the unions argues, contravenes International Labour Organisation Convention 98 that guarantees the right to collective bargaining. The strikes were planned for 13 and 14 in the week leading up to local government elections across the country. Education workers were due to begin the strike on

Public sector unions called off strikes planned for 13 and 14 May and a national demonstration planned for 16 May. The unions secured an agreement on pay for 60,000 civil servants that will now be voted on by union members. If members reject the agreement then the unions will return to the negotiating table with the government. Civil servants’ pay will be increased in line with inflation from 1 January 2010 and they will also get a 6% increase once the economy has registered two consecutive quarters of growth. [Read more at > SSSH (HR)->http://www.sssh.hr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view

The Croatian government has increased VAT from 20% to 23% and introduced an additional 3% income tax on wages and pensions as part of its response to the current crisis. The SSSH trade union confederation attacked the proposals arguing that it would lead to a cut in consumption and so undermine economic growth. The 3% tax increase was supposed to be implemented on monthly salaries above 3000 kuna (€400) but there was further union anger when the finance minister suggested that the tax increase should be applied to all salaries. [Read more at > SSSH (EN)->http://www.sssh.hr/en/index.php?option

The SSSH trade union confederation has expressed its concerns about the new salary law covering civil servants. The law will abolish bonuses based solely on years of service and introduce new performance-related additions. The SSSH is worried that the performance-related elements of pay will be too subjective and allow heads of departments too much discretion over pay. The confederation is particularly concerned about the impact of women on maternity and/or sick leave who might miss out on being evaluated if they fail to meet the minimum requirement of six months’ work in a particular year.

EPSU has written to the Croatian government expressing its concern about new legislation on determining pay in local government. EPSU’s local government affiliate, the Trade Union of State and Local Government Employees of Croatia, argues that the new law will undermine its right to negotiate pay for its members and that the government has failed to consult properly over the legislation.

EPSU has written to the President, Prime Minister and Minister for Public Administration in Croatia to protest at proposed changes to pay determination in local government. EPSU’s letter condemns the government for failing to consult with unions over the proposed changes and for planning to implement a form of pay determination that undermines the unions’ right to collective bargaining. EPSU’s letter was reported on the website of Vercernji, one of the main daily newspapers. [Read more at > Vercernji (HR)->http://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/sindikalci-eu-mesica-premijerke-traze-objasnjenje-clanak

The government is in the process of implementing €260 million of cuts that will hit public sector jobs as well as certain wage benefits, overtime and expenses. The government is also laying off around 5000 workers on temporary contracts. Unions have been involved in negotiations over the cuts package are arguing that the government has to analyse where to reduce employee numbers and not implement random cuts. [Read more at > SETimes news website (EN)->http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2012/03/06/feature-03] [And at > Balkan Insight news website (EN)->