A New Collective Agreement Signed at Croatia Airlines – Valid for 5 Years

Zagreb, July 25, 2024 · URSH – Association of Croatian Trade Unions

Croatia Airlines and two representative workers’ unions – ORCA (Organization of Croatia Airlines Workers) and SHSZUZ (Independent Croatian Union of Aviation Employees) – have signed a new collective agreement that will be valid for the next five years. The agreement ensures long-term social peace, business stability, and better predictability of employee earnings during the crucial period of the Airbus A220 fleet renewal.

What Was Agreed

The new collective agreement respects most of the union demands within the company’s realistic financial capabilities. Key new features include:

an increase in the value of the point and a fairer salary calculation model, based on an equal average monthly hour fund and fixed monthly gross amounts;
indexation of salaries to inflation to preserve purchasing power;
contractual obligation to pay Easter bonuses, Christmas bonuses, and/or holiday allowances;
minimum valuation of job positions and additional sectoral solutions that more precisely regulate the specifics of aviation jobs.
This ensures greater predictability and stability of earnings for the upcoming period, as well as a better framework of working conditions for all worker groups represented by ORCA and SHSZUZ.

Who are ORCA and SHSZUZ

ORCA brings together professional unions within the company – Croatian Union of Transport Pilots (HSPP), Aircraft Cabin Crew Union (SKOZ), Croatian Aircraft Technicians Union (SZTH), and New Union – while SHSZUZ represents a wide range of aviation industry employees. Together, these two representative unions cover all working groups of the national carrier.

Why the Agreement is Important

The signing of the agreement establishes long-term social peace, which is directly linked to the largest project in the company’s history – the complete renewal of the fleet with the introduction of new Airbus A220 aircraft. Stable labor relations over the next five years create the necessary prerequisites for the efficient integration of new planes, crew and technical staff training, and maintaining flight schedules during the transition period.