One of Croatia's largest trade union alliances, SSSH, announced that the traditional mass gatherings organised to mark the International Workers' Day on May 1 would be replaced this year by an online protest.

The online protest will take place on 11 am on Friday via the Zoom online meeting platform, and will be aired on online social networks.

SSSH said in a statement that the purpose of the protest is to send a message that the coronavirus crisis is an opportunity “to clearly say that there is no going back to old ways” and that it is time for a “new paradigm of social and economic development.”

During the online protest, workers will talk about the impact that the crisis has had on their jobs. SSSH anounced they would also use the opportunity to present their “vision of a world, which suits the man, and the future that awaits us after the epidemic.”

SSSH added that this crisis once again has shown the value of all workers for society. This of course refers to health workers, but also to people who are normally not talked about in the public discourse without whom normal life would not be possible, like cashiers, garbage collectors, police officers, firefighters, and construction workers.

“Although many of them are being thanked these days for their service, what they need the most above all is that their rights – including higher wages and better working conditions, better health protection, and work safety – are respected,” the union said.