Croatian government withdraws amendments to labour law

05/09/2010

ZAGREB, Croatia -- The government has withdrawn its controversial amendments to the labour law from parliamentary procedure, media reported on Friday (September 3rd). The proposed amendments would have set a six-month deadline for hammering out a new collective agreement after the existing one expires. After that, workers' rights would be subject to separate agreements with individual employers. In reaction to the bill, unions collected more than 800,000 signatures required to call a referendum on the proposed amendments. As for the decision to withdraw the amendments, Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said the government does not want to impose anything by force and expects talks with trade unions to resume. (Vecernji List - 04/09/10; HRT, HINA - 03/09/10)