Thousands of public sector workers gathered in central Zagreb on Saturday to protest what they called insufficient wages and a lack of dialogue with the government over collective labor agreements.
The demonstration, organized by six unions representing most public services except social care, began at noon at European Square under the banner “Union Spring.” Protesters said the government had ignored repeated calls for negotiations on sector-wide collective agreements.
“Public sector wages are extremely low and do not keep pace with rising living costs,” Sanda Alić, from the Health Workers’ Union Zajedno, told the crowd. She criticized the government’s recent decision to raise the base salary by just 1+1 percent, while inflation reached 4 percent in February alone. Alić also highlighted staff shortages and pay disparities in healthcare.
Mislav Stipić of the Preporod teachers’ union called for the government to prioritize public services, shouting that “most public services should be the government’s only priority.”
Before the protest, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said he respected the right to demonstrate and that ministers would negotiate with unions on employment rights, but added that talks would consider the state’s financial capacity. Plenković also warned of a looming energy crisis, describing it as potentially the most severe in a generation.
Unions complained that the government has unilaterally set salary levels for 2026, bypassing collective agreements for a second consecutive year. They said negotiations on other issues, including pay coefficients for teachers and healthcare workers and allowances for meals, had stalled.
“Unions are forced to protest because the government insists on making decisions alone, without understanding the needs of its public sector employees,” Alić said.
Participants came from all Croatian counties and called on citizens to support their demands. Organizing unions include Preporod, the Independent Union of Science and Higher Education, the Independent Union of Secondary School Employees, the Workers’ Union of the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute, the Cultural Workers’ Union, and the Zajedno Health Workers’ Union.
The protest received backing from the Croatian Journalists’ Association and NOVISS, an organization representing social care workers.