President Milanović Speaks with Croatian Railroad Labour Union Representatives
President Milanović Speaks with Croatian Railroad Labour Union Representatives
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received a delegation of the Croatian Railroad Labour Union on the 30th anniversary of its establishment.
The Croatian Railroad Labour Union was founded in 1990 in Varaždin as the Union of Maintenance Workers for the Overhaul of Croatian Locomotives and Wagons, with the goal of protecting and advancing the rights of its members and promoting the development and modernisation of railways. The union changed its name to the Croatian Railroad Labour Union (Sindikat hrvatskih željeznica) in 1995, bringing under its umbrella members from all railway industry occupations. Today, the union represents some 2,300 workers and is a member of the national Independent Trade Unions of Croatia.
Representatives of the Croatian Railroad Labour Union used the meeting with President Milanović to acquaint him with plans for the development of railways in Croatia, but also with the challenges they are facing. They pointed out that the current state of the railway infrastructure is the main issue facing the railway network, as well as the fact that no investments are being made in its maintenance and overhaul. According to representatives of the Croatian Railroad Labour Union, there is a lack of political will to invest in capital railway maintenance projects. Union representatives believe that the procurement of new trains in the past few years is positive, but they warned that it is essential to ensure better tracks in order for railway transport in Croatia to be modernised completely.
Participating at the meeting with President Milanović were President of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia Krešimir Sever, President of the Croatian Railroad Labour Union Ivan Forgač, Vice Presidents Ilija Bulić, Ljiljana Furdek, Alen Lušić, Marko Brekalo, Marijan Jelenski and labour union members Sanja Ešegović and Luca Milički.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan