The Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) will start an action against the work of shops on Sundays and holidays in front of the Avenue Mall shopping center in Zagreb on Tuesday. Under the slogan ‘Sunday is for man, not man for Sunday!’ the action will continue on some other Sundays and holidays, in front of some of the retail chains in Zagreb and other cities and places in Croatia.
NHS chose tomorrow’s date for its symbolism as it coincides with Labor Day. The gathering will begin with a speech by the president of NHS, Krešimir Sever, after which activists from NHS unions will distribute appropriate leaflets to citizens.
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– This year, on May 1st, the Independent Croatian Trade Unions decided to draw attention and warn the public about tens of thousands of workers in retail who have to work on Sundays and holidays, the vast majority of whom are women, even though retail work is not a job of general and public interest, unlike, for example, firefighters, police, emergency services and medical transport, hospitals, public local and intercity transport, states the NHS statement.
Additionally, it is noted that shops in Croatia can operate all 7 days a week, 24 hours a day – 168 hours a week, while in Austria, the workweek is 72 hours (Sundays and holidays are non-working).
– Those who passed such a law (and other laws) have freed themselves from working on Sundays, holidays, and many other days of the year. Can they understand the workers in retail? This is one of the necessary ‘small communal actions of cleaning and tidying’ in Croatia!, conclude the unions.
