ZAGREB, May 25, 2020 – Five thousand people will be laid off because of non-working Sundays, Jutarnji List daily said on Monday, adding that the figure was confirmed even by those advocating the ban
Although Economy Minister Darko Horvat is saying he has reached “a high consensus phase” on a Sunday work ban with the government’s social partners, this is not the case with employers, the paper said.
Employers are divided on the matter, as conceded by Martin Evacic, president of the Croatian Employers Association’s retail division, “but there are a few more of those who are for regulating the matter, based on the revenue they make and the number of workers they employ, than retailers who are against it.”
No one has seen yet a bill of amendments with 14 working Sundays a year nor any study on which the minister should base his decision.
His bill might soon become public because Jutarnji List learned from the COVID-19 crisis management team, the next Sunday will probably be the last non-working Sunday imposed because of epidemiological restrictions, after which, as Horvat has announced, the bill will be put to public consultation.
Evacic says “everyone has their own story” concerning Sunday work, depending on the type, size, and location of their shop as well as the number of workers per square meter. Horvat’s decision will affect shopping malls more than grocery stores.
Evacic says he is for regulating Sunday work because of the business results of his NTL and not his world view. He also cites “strong resistance to Sunday work among unions and workers themselves.”
Jutarnji List said the Konzum, Tommy, KTC, NTL, Ultra and Lonia retail chains were for regulating Sunday work, and that Spar, Lidl, Kaufland, and Plodine were against.
