Schools Close As Teachers Strike

Nearly all schools in Croatia were closed today as the nations teachers staged a warning strike in protest of the cancellation of the Basic Collective Agreement for public-sector services and against proposed new salary cuts for teachers.

Parents were warned not to send their children to school today as Croatia’s Minister of Education Zeljko Jovanovic condemed the strike. Jovanovic said that the strike was not necessary as negotiations were under-way on the basic collective agreement. Jovanovic said lists would be made of those teachers who participate in the strike and they will not be paid their salary for today.

Teachers were joined in the strike by the nurses’ trade union who are protesting against the ban on employment of new medical staff despite the fact that there is now a shortage of around 12,000 nurses, said their trade union leader Anica Prasnjak.