Zagreb, 16 January 2020 - Josip Aladrović, Minister of Labour and Pension System, and Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), today had a bilateral meeting at the Ministry of Labour and Pension System.
Minister Aladrović presented the priorities of the Croatian EPSCO Council presidency, which he co-chairs with the Minister for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy Vesna Bedeković, explaining that Croatian priorities are in many points complementary to the ETUC priorities for the new institutional cycle.
"I am pleased to say that our EPSCO priorities have well identified key issues in the area of labour and social policy, namely skills development, the impact of demographic trends and the need to strengthen legal and social protection of all employees and all EU citizens”, said Minister Aladrović.
Regarding the priorities of the European Trade Union Confederation, the Minister pointed out collective bargaining as an important instrument of social dialogue and emphasized that Croatia is making significant efforts to increase salaries. The minimum wage has increased significantly in recent years, and this year it will grow by 8.33%.
"We, as regulators, must keep up with the rapid changes and their impact on the world of labour, and we must not leave anyone out. All employees should enjoy equal legal and social protection and it is our responsibility to protect them with our policies and laws”, stated the Minister.
Minister also stressed the need for a stronger dialogue with social partners on all key topics, including the future of Europe and democracy, emphasizing the importance of exchanging views with social partners on a number of processes that underpin the European economy.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) represents 45 million workers from 90 national unions in 38 European countries and 10 European sectoral unions. ETUC priorities relate to the future of Europe and democracy, economic governance, fiscal policy, wages and collective bargaining, social dialogue, workplace democracy, industrial policy and digitalization, non-standard forms of work, protection at work, sustainable development, climate change and energy policy, equitable mobility, free movement and posted workers, migration, international trade and external relations.
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