Background information

The trade union of workers in Airport Zagreb (Sindikat radnika aerodroma Zagreb – SRAZ) is a middle-sized union in the sector. The members of SRAZ are air traffic administrative staff, the employees working in baggage handling, the employees working at ticket desks, check in and boarding services, airport security, aircraft maintenance and overhaul and similar. SRAZ has around 180 members. Airport Zagreb, the busiest aerodrome in Croatia, recorded in 2020 less than 25% of last year's traffic. Therefore, there was a need to make reductions in the employees’ pecuniary rights.

Content of measure

Due to adverse business conditions and significant decrease in the number of passengers, SRAZ signed on 8 April 2020 with the representatives of various employers active on the airport Zagreb an annex to the collective agreement. The annex has been in force until 30 June 2020, with the possibility for the extension depending on the situation in the air transport.

SRAZ and employers agreed that wages and salary supplements in the form of Easter gifts, jubilees awards and awards for business results, in addition to holiday lump-sum payment, will be paid in the last quarter of 2020. In cases where it is not possible to organise regular work, the model “inactive working hours” is introduced. It represents the exemption from work obligations with a salary compensation amounting to 70% of the value of a full hourly rate.

During one month, all employees, including directors, must have a minimum of 1/3 to a maximum of 2/3 of "inactive" hours according to the work schedule. The employers may with written notice demand of employees to use their annual leave, regardless of the previously prepared plan for the use of annual leave. The employers oblige not to lay-off workers as redundant, and will offer an extension of all fixed-term employment contracts that expire to individual workers in the specified period.

Use of measure

Before the expiry of this annex, the social partners should jointly assess the situation and take further decisions with a view to extend or amend the annex. As the situation in the second half of 2020 has not been improved, the representatives of SRAZ and employers extended the validity of the annex until the end of September 2020 with the same conditions. Both sides have an intention to extend the validity of the Annex until the end of 2020 if the situation should not improve.

Contents

• Basic working time
• Bonuses
• Employment retention
• Leave arrangements

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Applies to all workers	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Trade unions Company / Companies	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

Social partners were directly involved in design, implementation and monitoring of the measure fully aware that this is a needed stet to preserve all included companies. As mentioned, before the expiry of this annex, the social partners should jointly assess the situation and take further decisions with a view to extend or amend the annex.

Views and reactions

Both sides expresses their satisfaction with the achieved decision.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 09 April 2020: Rad u doba korona virusa (www.sraz.hr)