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View Full Version : Croatia: Struggle in Mundus Varazdin



Искра
4th December 2010, 11:21
http://libcom.org/news/croatia-struggle-mundus-varazdin-04122010


Short info about struggle of "Mundus Varazdin" workers.



After several cases of the company failing to fulfill its obligations towards the workers, more than 200 employees of “Mundus Varazdin“ went on strike two days ago. The workers have not yet received their monthly salary for October and have only been paid a part of their salary for September. Salaries are not the only issue raised by the striking workers – the company has yet to pay for the employees' transportation expenses from August and September of 2009. Some problems go all the way back to 2003, since the employer hasn't contributed to the workers' pension fund at all in the last 7 years.


Privatised in the early nineties, the Mundus Group consists of several companies, primarily involved in the manufacturing industry, with furniture being their main product. The working environment is far from appropriate and little money has been spent on improving safety conditions for the workers. It should therefore come as no surprise to learn that the management also fails at taking into account even the most basic right – the minimum wage. The monthly salary for Mundus workers is about 100 kuna lower than the national minimum.


With the recent case of Kamensko (a textile factory in Croatia) and their several weeks long struggle, as well as the debate on the labour law referendum, workers’ rights have been brought to public attention once more, following a period of general passivity. The dissatisfied workers of Mundus, whose situation is also a part of these recent developments, have said that they would remain on strike until their unpaid wages and transportation expenses have been taken care of. The Network of Anarcho-Syndicalists (MASA) stands in full solidarity with the workers and supports their demands.

Thirsty Crow
4th December 2010, 16:31
Just an information regarding the referendum. Maybe it is unconfirmed still since I've heard it on the news and do not have the sour ce right now, but what the heck.
The referendum was supposed to bring up the question of the labour legislation which proposed certain measures of flexibilization. Butthe newest turn of events has it that unions' leadership (I think that the union in question was public employee's union and some others) reached an agreement with the current goverment to address the issue of the law on referendum itself, rather than the issue of the labour law.
The height of absurdity, to accept a meta-referendum, when the burning issue of conditions of labour (as the numerous cases of witholding the paycheck and similar instances testify). But hey, it is not like I am harboring illusions regarding the present state of the unions anywhere in the world.

I just hope that the rank and file will wake up and realize at least two things: that their leadership is in fact an officer of the state (and, consequently, of the ruling class) and that the ideology of the death of socialism, so prominent here when it comes to bashing workers, is something we all should actively oppose - by means of occupations, strikes and the eventual formation of bodies such as strike committees and factory committees.

Искра
5th December 2010, 00:32
Well, regarding this particular issue... I just hope that they'll get what they deserve (in this reformist way... pays etc.). As I'm realist, I don't see how is it possible for working class to 'wake up'. If we want working class to wake up we need to win small struggles like this... I hope everything will be good...