ZAGREB, November 27, 2018 - After the government and public sector unions agreed a 3% pay rise as of January 1 and a 2% pay rise as of September 1, 2019, the same pay rise was agreed later on Tuesday with state administration unions.
The government equally appreciates and respects both public sector and state administration unions, Labour Minister Marko Pavić said after the negotiations, adding that the ministry made the state administration unions the same offer it made the public sector unions earlier today.
The unions and the ministry also agreed to resume talks next year for a rise in 2020.
Police Union president Dubravko Jagić said the public sector unions had "tied" the hands of the state administration unions because, had they continued to negotiate as intended and as discussed with the government, the rise could have been 3% plus 3% or 3% plus 4%, rather than 3% plus 2%,.
The president of one state administration union, Boris Pleša, said he hoped the negotiations were concluded with the same conditions agreed with the public sector unions.
Earlier today, the government and public sector unions brought the conciliation process to a successful conclusion after agreeing a base pay rise of 3% as of January 1 and of 2% as of September 1 next year, as a result of which the unions scrapped their plan to begin a strike on November 28.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Labour and Pension System Minister Marko Pavić said that the extra 2% would require 150 million kuna, which he said would be secured through budget savings.
The leader of the Independent Union of Secondary School Teachers, Branimir Mihalinec, said that the eight unions were suspending all activities regarding a strike planned for November 28.
The agreement will be signed on Wednesday. The decision to accept the government's "three plus two percent" proposal was not unanimous, "but we have got closer, to some extent, to our demands being met," Mihalinec said.
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