Representatives of the Croatian government and trade unions on Friday failed to reach an agreement on the unions' request to hold a referendum against the government-sponsored changes to the Labour Act regardless of the fact that the changes were withdrawn from the parliamentary procedure, agreeing that another meeting be held on Tuesday between union leaders and all partners in the ruling coalition government.
The government, namely the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), cannot make a decision on the referendum without its coalition partners so we will meet them on Tuesday, union coordinator Vilim Ribic said after the meeting.
Unions are open to negotiations and compromise, Ribic said, adding that the government would have to honour the will of 717,000 citizens who signed a union petition for a referendum against amendments to labour legislation.
PM Kosor was very cautious in her statements today, Ribic said, adding that unions could not be outwitted in negotiations with the government because they "have a plan of activities, including protests, a general strike... and the signing of a petition for early elections."
Earlier this week, leaders of trade union federations which seek a referendum on the government-sponsored changes to labour legislation said that in early December they would organise a number of protests throughout the country, to culminate on Human Rights Day, December 10, when a general strike and a big protest rally would be held in Zagreb.
They also said that they were prepared to organise the signing of a petition calling for an early election if the government ignored their referendum request.
