In an open letter to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, twelve unions representing public and state services have voiced their frustrations regarding the ongoing stagnation in social dialogue between the unions and the government. The unions highlight that the commitment from ministers to collective bargaining is at its lowest since 2016, which raises alarms about the future of labor relations in the public sector. They believe that this lack of engagement threatens the welfare of service workers and undermines their rights to fair negotiation.

The unions further emphasize a critical point that no sector of public services has managed to finalize a collective agreement for the past three years. Attempts at negotiating basic rights and material benefits have fallen through for two consecutive years, despite the efforts led by the former Minister of Labor, Marin Piletić. The unions argue that these negotiations have been unproductive and have resulted in no satisfactory outcomes following extensive delays.

Another significant concern raised by the unions revolves around the violation of an agreement made last year between the government and three educational unions to avert a strike during the state graduation exams. The unions believe this agreement, which they consider akin to a collective contract, has been disregarded by the government, leading to further tension in labor relations. The unions urge the Prime Minister to address these issues urgently to restore trust and functionality in governmental negotiations with public service workers.