The Trade Union of Croatian Journalists (TUCJ) and the Union of Graphic and Media Workers have received a brief notice from the Negotiating Committee of Hanza Media d.o.o. stating that they are discontinuing collective bargaining for the conclusion of a Collective Agreement, according to a statement from the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists.
In response to TUCJ’s inquiry about why the negotiations were halted, Hanza Media replied: “Hanza Media entered into collective negotiations in good faith with the intention of improving the position of employees. The course and manner of conducting the negotiations, as well as certain proposals, particularly those related to the material rights of employees, have convinced us that it is currently impossible to reach agreement between the negotiating parties on key issues. Therefore, we have decided to suspend negotiations until further notice. This does not mean that our efforts to improve the position of the company’s employees will cease.”
The union highlights that despite four months of negotiations which the union considered constructive, Hanza Media’s management abruptly and unilaterally ended the bargaining. – The union’s negotiating team hopes that the employer will soon change its stance and resume negotiations. According to the Labor Law, the collective agreement should be the primary means of regulating workers’ rights, ahead of work regulations, and one of the European Union’s priorities is to cover over 80% of workers with collective agreements. Improving the material rights of workers is one of the most important goals of our union work, and we believe that the employer will recognize the importance of social dialogue and the right of workers to have their representatives’ voices heard and respected. We hope to soon return to the negotiating table to discuss concluding a Collective Agreement for Hanza Media employees, reads the statement from the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists.