A coordinating body of union federations said on Friday that in early December unions might organise a general strike and the signing of a petition for early elections because the government thwarted their request for a referendum on Labour Act amendments "through political manipulation unworthy of moral and democratic standards".
Unions want from the executive and the legislative authority a decision on the holding of the referendum for which 717,000 signatures were collected.
They demand changes to constitutional and legal requirements for the implementation of referendums so that direct democracy could be possible in Croatia, and the amendments of laws so as to prevent possible manipulation in the future, including provisions on voter lists and registration.
If agreement on those demands cannot be reached within political institutions, unions will mobilise their members and by the middle of this month start asking workers what they think about a general strike, the unions said in a press release.
The unions will hold a convention in Zagreb around November 20 and public protests in all major cities after that, with a final rally in Zagreb early next month.
The final protest will be followed by a general strike and the collection of signatures in December and January petitioning for early elections.
All of those moves will depend on the responses of the government, the public and citizens, and unions will respect the will of the citizens and do their best so that people can freely express their dissatisfaction, the press release said.
