The news in Croatian
Hrvatski sindikati u javnom sektoru pregovaraju s vladom o povećanju plaća i prava zaposlenih. Traže povećanje osnovne plaće od 10% i veće beneficije . Naglašeno je poboljšanje jubilarnih nagrada i otpremnina . Vlada ističe financijske izazove , ali obje strane žele postići dogovor. Pregovori se nastavljaju 25. studenog.
Translation
Croatian public sector unions are negotiating with the government about increasing wages and employee rights. They are demanding a 10% rise in base salary and improved benefits. The focus is on enhancing anniversary bonuses and severance packages. The government highlights financial challenges, but both sides aim to reach an agreement. Negotiations will resume on 25th November.
Exercise: Text comprehension
Question 1: What percentage increase in salary are the unions requesting?
The unions are requesting a 10% increase in salary.
Question 2: When will the negotiations between the unions and the government continue?
The negotiations will continue on November 25th.
Exercise: Vocabulary
Read the full story
▌20/11/2024
Croatian public sector unions have initiated negotiations with the government, seeking notable improvements in salary bases and other material rights for employees. The unions are advocating for a 10% increase in the basic salary calculation and other benefits, a request they consider pivotal for retaining employee value in a changing economic landscape. These negotiations are part of a broader discussion with the government to amend the Fundamental Collective Agreement, with a focus on enhancing workers’ material rights.
Union leader Željko Stipić emphasised a structured approach to their demands, splitting them into three primary categories: revisiting the salary base for approximately 2025 public sector workers, enhancing longstanding material rights such as jubilee awards, and negotiating a new material entitlement. The unions argue that the current salary base, set at 947 euros, should be revised to 1044 euros, reflecting an approximate 10% increase to keep up with economic developments.
Further to this, the unions have requested an increase in jubilee awards, which have remained unchanged at 240 euros for 25 years. The proposed adjustment would see these awards rise to 300 euros, and for long service—the maximum from 1200 to 1500 euros for 45 years of work. Additionally, the unions seek to increase severance pay from approximately 1894 euros to 2841 euros, highlighting this as a mark of respect for public sector employees dedicating their careers to state services.
Croatian Public Sector Unions Demand 10% Pay Rise (Illustration)
A crucial aspect of the negotiations also involves the enhancement of benefits such as night work wages, proposed to rise from a 40% to a 55% premium, and the establishment of a 70-euro monthly subsidy for hot meals, a demand that recognises the inflationary pressures workers face.
Minister of Labour, Pensions, Family, and Social Policy, Marin Piletić, indicated that the unions might need to reassess their expectations. He noted that while there have been nominal increases in both state and public-sector salaries, the reality is that the government might not fulfill all demands due to financial constraints. Notably, the minister pointed out a nominal salary rise greater than 100% post-inflation adjustments, underscoring the complexities of these negotiations.
Negotiations with the government are set to resume on 25th November. Both parties express a desire to find common ground, with Piletić affirming ongoing collaborations with the Ministry of Finance to evaluate the fiscal implications of the union's requests. The outcome of these negotiations will significantly impact public sector employment conditions, reflecting broader economic conditions in Croatia.
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