Two Croatian trade union federations warned on Wednesday that the government had decided to amend the Labour Act in this year of crisis in the interests of big business and labour market flexibility.

The warning was issued on the International Day for Decent Work, observed on October 7.

When speaking about labour legislation, Croatian government officials rarely mention workers, and the truth is that Croatian workers are the biggest victims of poor labour legislation and its even worse application in practice, the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) said.

It said that one of the biggest problems with labour legislation was the organisation of working hours, which allows two in five workers to work overtime once or several times a week.

According to last year’s survey carried out by the Hendal market research agency, 60 percent of workers work overtime without the necessary written order from the employer, and in as many as 40 percent of cases no records are kept of overtime work and workers are not paid for it.

The Independent Croatian Trade Unions (NHS) said that this year, when the global coronavirus pandemic has claimed more than a million lives worldwide and left 35 million people infected and 400 million jobless, the government has decided to launch amendments to the Labour Act with the overwhelming support of employer organisations and individuals who have been pushing for years for labour market liberalisation and flexibility.

“While countries across Europe and the world are doing all in their power to help their economies, citizens and workers overcome the crisis with as few consequences as possible, the Croatian government has decided to take advantage of it to change the Labour Act,” the NHS said.