Croatian Public Sector Unions Demand 10% Pay Rise

The news in Croatian

1. sindikat (m.)
   Udruženje radnika koje se bori za njihova prava na radnom mjestu. ↩︎
2. pregovarati
   Voditi razgovore s ciljem postizanja dogovora. ↩︎
3. beneficija (f.)
   Dodatne pogodnosti koje zaposlenici dobivaju uz plaću. ↩︎
4. jubilaran
   Ono što se odnosi na obilježavanje važnih obljetnica. ↩︎
5. otpremnina (f.)
   Novčani iznos koji radnik dobiva prilikom prestanka radnog odnosa. ↩︎
6. izazov (m.)
   Teškoće koje treba savladati ili riješiti. ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: What percentage increase in salary are the unions requesting?

Question: When will the negotiations between the unions and the government continue?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
sindikat (m.)	unions
pregovarati	negotiate
beneficija (f.)	benefits
jubilaran	jubilee
otpremnina (f.)	severance pay
izazov (m.)	challenges

Read the full story

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.

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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