The Government is Most Responsible for the Collapse of Industry

The government is most responsible for not stopping the collapse of Croatian industry, the loss of jobs, and unpaid work, union leaders emphasized at today’s protest rally titled “Jobs, Wages, Not the Stock Exchange,” held at Markov trg organized by the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) and the Croatian Trade Union Association (HUS).

At the protest, which was supported by other trade union centers, leaders of SSSH and HUS, as well as union representatives from several struggling companies, announced trade union unity and joint actions of all trade union centers and unions from the public and private sectors, aimed at saving the industry and ensuring dignified wages.

SSSH President Mladen Novosel, in front of one and a half thousand gathered protesters at Markov trg, accused the government of not knowing what social dialogue and social partnership are, and that, as he said, it participates in the greatest crime committed since the acquisition of Croatian independence, which is the destruction of industry.

He stated that the remnants of the industry will collapse if the unions do not act in solidarity and together. Today’s gathering should mark the creation of a trade union intervention force of solidarity that will assist wherever workers’ rights are violated, Novosel said, emphasizing that it is time for trade union solidarity that has been neglected in Croatia.

“Enough of crying, losing jobs, and working without pay. Every remaining job and company must be saved,” said Novosel.

He called on the government to focus on the renewal of the industry, and his call for the government to tax banks to raise funds for public sector employees received particularly warm applause. This was also advocated by HUS President Ozren Matijašević, who called on the government to tax financial transactions and bank profits. He criticized the government, which, according to him, is fleeing from exports, shipbuilding, textile, leather, and wood industries, and any other production, thus favoring import lobbies.

Matijašević warns that soon there could be more employees in trade than in manufacturing, and that the Croatian economy could become speculative.

The conditions for investment in Croatia are unfavorable, which, combined with new taxes, will undermine the remnants of the middle class, leading to a decrease in GDP and an increase in economic emigration, Matijašević believes.

“A poor state is one that sees hope in the emigration of its workers after entering the EU, and only the Social Democratic Party is poorer than it,” said the HUS leader. If the government continues with its current economic policy, the economy will look like the surface of the moon after its departure, says Matijašević. He, like other speakers at the protest, sees trade union unity as a barrier to such developments and announces the beginning of a resistance movement of unions and non-governmental organizations. Many other unionists also spoke at the protest, including representatives from 3. maj, Brodosplit, Dalekovod, Osječka pivovara, RIZ Odašiljača, Petrokemija, and other companies. In emotional speeches, they warned of low wages, difficult working conditions, crime in their companies, unpaid work, and the fears and anxieties of workers regarding the future.