Employees across the country stopped their work for an hour yesterday in solidarity with over 300,000 of Croatia's unemployed and thousands of those still having jobs but not receiving their salaries.

According to the event's organizers, the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions (SSSH), some 100,000 people participated in an hour long break that took place from 12pm until 1pm this afternoon.

The strike is a prelude to protests scheduled for May 1st, the Labour Day, the Croatian news portal Index writes.

The unions sat down again yesterday (Mon) with the representatives of Croatian government in order to discuss cuts for government and public sector employees. The government hopes to eliminate Christmas bonuses, subsidies and gifts for children with projected savings of some 88 million Euros.

No agreement has yet been reached, the Croatian news portal Index writes.
Prime Minister comments on sympathy strike

Commenting on yesterday's hour-long sympathy strike organised by the federation of independent trade unions of Croatia (SSSH), Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said that trade unions have her support in fighting corruption.

The PM expressed conviction that the trade unions wanted to give their support to the government in fighting crime and corruption.

I suggest we proceed together with even more determination, Kosor said.

At noon on Tuesday, the SSSH began a one-hour strike in companies employing its members, in order to express support for other unionists and workers who are deprived of their rights and to preserve jobs.

The SSSH plans to organise protests in Zagreb, Split, Osijek and other major cities on Labour Day, 1 May.