Photo taken from the platform Freepik.

Jamnica plus and the Jamnica Workers' Council reached a three-year agreement ensuring higher wages and improved material rights for employees.

With this agreement, which was confirmed by the Fortenova Group, the gross base salary has been increased by up to 15 percent on average from May 1, while some workers with lower incomes achieved even more significant growth.

The new work regulations, the result of cooperation between the Management Board and the Workers' Council, further strengthen employee rights and provide greater security in the workplace. According to the regulations, the Management Board is obliged to obtain the consent of the Workers' Council for any change in material conditions, and the employer has guaranteed that employees' material rights can only increase over the next three years. The company also confirmed that workers will continue to receive the Christmas bonus, Easter bonus, vacation allowance, and other material rights.

Fabris Peruško, member of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Fortenova Group, emphasized the importance of open dialogue between the Management Board and employees: “With this, we confirm the Fortenova Group's commitment to direct dialogue with its workers, responsible management, and the continuous increase of our employees' income. The Workers' Council is guaranteed that Jamnica employees will receive higher wages, as well as material rights at the overall level,” Peruško stated. He also added: “I would like to thank the Jamnica Workers' Council for recognizing the good intentions of the Management Board, whereby they, through their persistence and constructive dialogue, managed to secure better material conditions than initially proposed.”

Representatives of the Workers' Council expressed satisfaction with the agreement reached, especially emphasizing that employees' material rights cannot be changed without their consent during the next three years.

Zvijezda and PIK Vrbovec workers continue the strike

Peruško also called on the Workers' Councils of PIK Vrbovec and Zvijezda to engage in dialogue with the aim of reaching similar agreements on workers' rights in those companies. He pointed out that the managements of PIK and Zvijezda had already independently increased May wages for all employees, and added: “Despite numerous pieces of misinformation that have been circulated in public, their material rights are also being increased at the overall level.” He concluded: “Jamnica is proof of what can be achieved only if we sit down at the table with the intention to build, not destroy. We hope that, following the same principle, we will reach an agreement with the workers' councils in PIK Vrbovec and Zvijezda as well.”

Some employees of Zvijezda and PIK Vrbovec have been on strike for days, as union representatives state, due to the employer's unilateral and, in their opinion, insufficient increase of the lowest wages and the employer's refusal to sign a collective agreement.

Fortenova again emphasized that they believe the strike is not justified, since almost all employees signed contract annexes providing for wage increases, and the collective agreement remains in force. They also stated that union leaders, due to personal ambitions and upcoming union elections, have put part of the membership in a difficult position.