UATUC: Campaign against Crisis: Defend Retired Persons’ Rights 

International Trade Union Confederation

May 18, 2009

Croatia

On 7 May 2009, the Retired Persons’ Trade Union of Croatia (SUH), affiliated to the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia, and European Federation of Retired and Elderly Persons (FERPA), started a campaign in all the counties of Croatia for the defense of the rights of retired persons, under the title Sign and support the Fighting list of SUH. The Fighting list contains 32 demands that transparently express the positions and objectives of SUH.

Pension that allows decent living; reaching the average pension at the level of at least 60% of the average wage; in case of the so-called new pensioners recognition of the pension bonus as an integral part of a pension – these are just some of the demands from the Fighting list.

In the first phase of the campaign, which will be run by the end of this year, SUH will distribute promotional leaflets with the Fighting list (these will be distributed in senior citizens’ homes, health centres, markets, etc.). The Fighting list includes also a membership form for joining SUH Trade Union. Campaign will also include gatherings, round tables, etc. After this general, “broad” part of the campaign, the rest of the campaign will be focused on several key demands.

On the 14th May 2009 the Retired Persons’ Trade Union of Croatia organized its all day activities on main squares in the capital city Zagreb, distributing leaflets with SUH’s demands, as well as other activities of interest for older citizens (pressure, blood sugar and fat measurements). Through these actions, SUH joined the European action days organized this week all over Europe, giving its contribution to the campaign and emphasizing once more the increasingly difficult position of retired persons. The special stands posted by SUH provided also assistance and advice given by lawyers, psychologists and shop stewards, and refer to different demands contained in the Fighting list, but also on kindred pensioners’ issues.

In the conditions of the economic crisis, it is necessary to develop a special protection programme for retired persons in order to preserve the dignity of that category of population, whose almost each member is in the poverty zone, said Stjepan Krajačić, SUH President.

Please find enclosed also a presentation prepared for the press conference that marked the launching of the campaign, and which explains the current position of Croatian pensioners in greater detail.

Yours in solidarity, 
Dijana Šobota 
UATUC International Department

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