ZAGREB, August 9, 2018 – Croatia Airlines (CA) trade union representative Antonio Čorak on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction with the Zagreb County Court’s decision to issue a final injunction banning a strike at Croatia Airlines and announced an appeal in the hope the decision to ban the strike would be changed.
“The County Court has adopted a decision banning our constitutional right to strike. We are confident that we have taken all the necessary measures to make sure the strike is legal,” Čorak said after the ruling was handed down.
He said unionists were disappointed primarily with the way the strike was banned and the court’s explanation that the respondent – the Organisation of Workers at Croatia Airlines (ORCA) trade union – did not in good faith negotiate a new collective agreement. “I do not know which parameters were used to come to that decision, having in mind that we met conditions for a strike a year ago. Only on account of our good faith, we have been postponing the strike in an attempt to reach an agreement. Which is why we do not understand according to which parameters we did not negotiate in good faith,” Čorak said.
He announced the union would appeal to the Supreme Court within eight days, after which the court will deliver a final ruling within five days.
Commenting on the court’s allegations that the union did not respond to the CA management’s invitation for talks on three occasions, Čorak said it was true that the management had offered them one draft collective agreement and that the unions were not satisfied with it.
He refuted the management’s claims that the organisers of the strike did not represent all workers but only about 300, while 700 CA employees were in fact against the strike. “This isn’t true. We are supported by the entire operational sector – pilots, cabin crew, technical and the entire operational personnel. They absolutely support us,” Čorak said.
CA management representative Branka Sremac welcomed the strike ban, saying negotiations were the only way to reach agreements and sign contracts.
