Labour Minister Marin Piletic said on Tuesday that the government was willing to annul its decision on non-payment for the duration of the strike in the judiciary provided that striking clerks end their industrial action, which they began on 5 June.

On 13 July the government decided to continue paying mandatory health and pension contributions while take-home pay of striking workers at courts and state attorney’s offices (DORH) would be reduced as of 17 July in proportion to the length of their industrial action as of the said date.

Piletic said today after a meeting of the Economic and Social Council (GSV) that the government had now offered a concrete proposal including the its demand for the cessation of the strike and the staff at the courts and in offices of the State Attorney-General (DORH) would receive also 12% wage supplement.

Justice Minister Ivan Malenica announced on Monday after meeting with union leaders on a 12% pay rise for judicial workers that he would make an official proposal to that effect by the end of the week.

“We have been in intense talks in the last few days and have reached an agreement on a pay rise for judicial workers of about 12%. We are also ready to include union representatives in the preparation of a new decree. We are ready to discuss jobs and the pay rise in the new decree,” Malenica told Nova TV on Monday evening.

He said the ministry would consider the possibility of revoking the decision on the non-payment of wages for the time spent on strike. “We are ready to consider this in order to stop the strike. That’s on the table,” Malenica said.

Malenica said that the government would work on ensuring an average net monthly salary of €1,000, announcing a tax reform next year and talks on base pay as of September.

Unionists to decide if pay rise offer is enough

Earlier on Tuesday, the shop steward for the SDLSN union of civil servants said that union members would decide whether this 12% pay rise offer for judicial employees was enough.

The shop steward Marija Paun said that when the justice minister’s offer “becomes official, union members will decide on it.”

According to Paun, the offer does not sound good. “We haven’t been on strike for two months for 50 or 70 euros.”