The flight controllers' union leader Natasa Sumirat Adikusumah told the press today that this union had given support to the striking pilots and flight attendants but would later decide on a date of its solidarity strike.

The CA cabin crew and pilots unions have not yet been invited for further negotiations with the company's management on a new collective agreement. The disgruntled unions are refusing to sign the agreement because they believe it would pave the way for the management's plan to scale down the wage budget for pilots and flight attendants by 10 million kuna and by making savings of one million kuna on other CA employees.

On the other hand, the so-called "ordinary employees" in CA issued an open letter on Wednesday condemning the strike. They said they wanted CA to continue operating so that CA would not go bust and they would not have to join the dole queue.

"At a time when people in Croatia go on strike for not receiving salaries on a regular basis, our colleagues are striking because their average income is up to 28,000 kuna (3,700 euros)," reads the latter as quoted by media on Wednesday.

The CA management posted the letter on the company's website with a poll question asking employees to express whether they are for or against the cessation of the ongoing industrial action.

Union leader Tomislav Rajkovic told the media that such a letter had not been sent from any of the six unions operating in the national air carrier.

Transport Minister Sinisa Hajdas Doncic reiterated on Thursday that the striking unions should resume negotiations with the CA management and that the restructuring plan for CA must be fully implemented.

The solidarity strike of HZ engine drivers is scheduled for between noon and 2pm on Thursday and is likely to disrupt both cargo and passenger traffic for more than two hours.