ZAGREB, February 6, 2019 – Workers at the Same Deutz Fahr Žetelice factory, who have been on strike since January 9 due to low wages, expect that the Supreme Court will deliver a ruling in their favour after the company’s management filed a lawsuit insisting that the industrial action is unlawful.
If the court rules against the strike, workers will comply with the ruling, however, they will not refrain from seeking an increase in wages, union leader Marko Ivkošić said on Tuesday.
“We’ve heard that the Supreme Court has made its decision and we are convinced that it will stand on our side because we fulfilled all the prerequisites to call the strike. In any case, Vukovar County Court ruled in our favour and we believe that the Supreme Court will uphold the county court’s decision,” he added.
He recalled that 95% of the company’s 400 workers are on strike and are seeking an increase of 750 kuna and an 8% allowance for special working conditions.
According to the unionist, the cost of employees amounts to a mere 8% of the company’s revenue and with the increase costs would still remain under 10%.
He added that a wage of 3,500 kuna was disgraceful adding that workers in the same branch in the region are earning a minimum of 5,000 kuna adding that 85 young workers have left the company over the past two years and have emigrated to countries where they can earn 2,000 euro (approx. 15,000 kuna).
The Županja-based factory is part of the Italian Same Deutz Fahr corporation and it produces 400 combine harvesters a year, most of which end up on the European market. It is the only factory of its kind in Croatia and prior to its privatisation it was part of the Đuro Đaković factory for farm machinery.
More news on the strikes in Croatia can be found in the Business section.
