Teacher, professor, scientist, and nurse unions began a one-day warning strike this morning against the government’s austerity policies in public services, which have resulted in reduced salaries and material rights for them as well.
Unions united in the Croatian Union Federation and the Croatian School Union Preporod are organizing the strike due to the cancellation of the Basic Collective Agreement (BCA) for public services, the announcement of the abolition of salary supplements, the reduction of funds for education and science in the state budget, the reduction of salaries for teachers and educators through the elimination of supplements of 3, 5, 7, and 9 percent, and the ban on hiring new nurses.
According to union announcements, practically all schools in Croatia will not operate today due to the strike. They recommend that parents do not heed the Minister of Science, Education, and Sports, Željko Jovanović, who urged them to send their children to school, and that they do not send them to classes that will not take place anyway.
For children who do come to school, the principals will be responsible for organizing their care, the unions claim.
Minister of Science, Education, and Sports Željko Jovanović stated that his ministry respects the unions’ right to strike, although he believes it is unnecessary at a time when negotiations regarding the BCA are ongoing.
– The union side has not clearly indicated what the subject of the dispute is, nor have they proven that there is a subject of dispute on the basis of which a strike can be initiated, but we respect their right to strike – Jovanović said yesterday.
He also told parents that ‘unions have the right to strike, but children have the right to education. We believe that every child must go to school normally and that school principals and the Strike Committee must ensure that children are cared for in a quality manner.’
During the strike of nurses and technicians, the minimum necessary tasks and emergency interventions will be ensured, and the strike will take place in all healthcare institutions except for the Emergency Service, announced the Croatian Professional Union of Nurses.
The Ministry of Health stated yesterday that it respects the right of nurses to strike, but assesses that there is no reason for it to take place.
During the strike, it is necessary to ensure the uninterrupted performance of urgently needed tasks, so that the provision of healthcare to patients is not jeopardized, warned the Ministry of Health.
