Striking workers at the Rijeka-based 3. Maj shipyard on Tuesday continued their industrial action over unpaid wages, and took a protest walk through the northern Croatian port town.

During the march on Tuesday morning, which involved more than 1,000 dock workers, the protesters briefly disrupted traffic in Rijeka city centre before returning to the dock by noon.

One of union leaders at the dock, Boris Bucanac, said that the protest walk was a spontaneous move by desperate workers, who were told by management that they would receive their wages for September.

Workers at 3. Maj and Uljanik shipyards – both owned by the troubled Uljanik Group shipbuilding company – did not receive their September salaries, which were due to be paid by October 15.

Another 3. Maj unionist, Juraj Soljic, said that the disgruntled workers were outraged by the management of the Uljanik Group that “has not been solving the issues of the 3. Maj for a month and a half”.

Soljic called on the government to help in unblocking 3. Maj’s bank account, which had been frozen by company’s suppliers.

He also called on creditors, suppliers and subcontractors of the Rijeka shipyard to unblock the company’s account, and thanked those who had already done that.

3. Maj’s business account has been blocked for 60 days running, and according to Croatian bankruptcy laws, once the blocking continues for the 61st day, it could trigger the procedure for official receivership.

Meanwhile in Pula, workers at the Uljanik dock also continued their strike, gathering in front of the company’s administration building led by union leader Boris Cerovac, and calling for subcontractors to cease working for the shipyard until their demands are met.

Cerovac said that the union had demanded that subcontractors working on a polar cruise ship currently being built at the shipyard should also stop their work.

The ship is one of the two vessels that Uljanik has to complete before the end of the year.

Some 1,500 disgruntled workers at the Uljanik shipyard started striking on Monday over unpaid salaries for September.

Cerovac called on the president of the Uljanik Group management board, Gianni Rossanda, to explain why workers haven’t received their September pays, and insisted again that Rossanda should step down.

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