On June 9, Croatian trade unions will start collecting signatures for a referendum against amendments to the Labour Act which, according to unionists, are destroying the collective agreements system, leaders of five union federations told a news conference on Tuesday.
Unionists also urged opposition parties and nongovernmental organisations to help them collect within 15 days, as stipulated by the law, a sufficient number of signatures, namely 10 percent of the total number of eligible voters.
By calling the referendum, the unions want to make the government give up on amendments to the labour legislation by which it planned to limit the application of rights from a collective agreement after the expiry of the agreement to six months.
Union federations will hold a general meeting on 14 June to define their demands and objectives as well as the activities necessary to prevent "the dismemberment of the social state", planned by the government and employers.
Union leaders said they would attend a meeting with Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and resume social dialogue only if she withdraws the amendments to the Labour Act.
