Brodogradilište radnicima!
Inicijativa 3.Maj Trećemajcima
Shipyard to the workers!
Initiative 3.Maj to the 3.Maj-ans
10.06.2012.
Intervju Pulske grupe s Rolandom Sušnjem, radnikom brodogradilišta 3.Maj u Rijeci i članom Inicijative za 3. Maj.
Interview by Pulska grupa with Roland Sušanj, a worker in the Shipyard “3rd Maj” in Rijeka and a member of the Initiative for 3rd Maj.
- Angažman inicijative „3maj 3majcima“ počeo je nakon što se vlada RH odlučila za privatizaciju brodogradilišta. Kakva je situacija vladala netom prije te odluke?
U ožujku 2010. godine 3. Maj ostajao je bez posla. U toj situaciji javila se potreba nas radnika, koji egzistencijalno ovisimo o 3. Maju, da poduzmemo neke korake, da pokažemo da smo živi. I da pokažemo da opstanak 3. Maja nije nužan samo nama već i čitavom gradu Rijeci.
- Što je dovelo do privatizacije?
O privatizaciji se počelo govoriti u sklopu pregovora Republike Hrvatske s Europskom unijom. Vlada se odlučila na privatizaciju iako nisu sagledane sve posljedice. Svugdje u svijetu su brodogradilišta ovog tipa u većinskom državnom vlasništvu, odnosno pod patronatom države, zbog velike važnosti koje imaju za gospodarstvo.
- Vladi ste prije dvije godine prezentirali „Plan B“ koji je na zboru radnika 31. ožujka, 2010. godine podržalo preko tisuću radnika. Koje prijedloge sadrži taj plan?
Tada se dogodila situacija da su sva tri sindikata koja djeluju u brodogradilištu bila suglasna oko inicijative jer su shvatili da nam je opstanak 3. Maja u zajedničkom interesu. Mi smo predlagali partnerski odnos između države kao vlasnika i radnika kao upravljača. Naime, radnici bolje poznaju ljude i situaciju pa stoga mogu bolje izabrati i ljude koji će voditi 3. Maj, dok je do sada to činila Vlada koja je opterećena političkim odlukama u imenovanju kadrova.
- The initiative “3. Maj to the 3. Maj-ans” was launched after the Croatian government decided to privatize the shipyard. What were the circumstances prior to that decision?
In March 2010, “3. Maj” was running out of work. Under those circumstances we, the workers, whose existence depends on the shipyard, felt the need to undertake some steps, to show that it is essential that the shipyard survives, not just for us, but for the whole city.
- What are the reasons that led to the privatization?
The talk about privatization was part of the negotiations between Croatia and the EU. The government decided to privatize the shipyard, without having considered all the consequences. All around the world this kind of shipyards are mainly state-owned, i.e. under the patronage of the state, due to their importance for the whole economy.
- You presented to the government the so-called “Plan B”, which was supported by more than 1.000 workers on a workers assembly held on March 31, 2010. What was it about?
At that moment all the three unions active within the shipyard agreed about the initiative, since the survival of the shipyard was our common goal. We proposed a partnership to be established between the state as the owner and the workers as management. The workers know the people and the conditions inside the shipyard, so they are better suited to choose those who would run the shipyard. Up to now the management was chosen by the government, whose decisions were contaminated by political interests.
- Što ste konkretno predlagali?
Bilo je predloženo da radnici preuzmu upravljanje brodogradilištem na određeni period u kojem bi pokazali da su u stanju, zajedno sa državom kao većinskim vlasnikom, upravljati brodogradilištem i postaviti ga na zdrave noge.
- Dakle, predlagali ste da vlasništvo ostane državno, a da radnici preuzmu upravljanje?
Da, ali da se čak i dionice prepuste radnicima nakon tog perioda, ako se pokaže da su radnici uspješni. Nakon što je taj plan prihvaćen u Rijeci isti su prijedlog prihvatili i predstavnici sindikata brodogradilišta u Kraljevici i Splitu.
- Sve više inicijativa zamišlja proizvodnju na takav samoupravni način, no riječko brodogradilište trenutno ima 2.500 zaposlenih, a s kooperantima i oko 3.000 ljudi. Mislite li da je moguće da radnici sami organiziraju proizvodnju takvog mjerila?
Upravo se na tvrtkama kao što su Jaguar, Boeing ili Nokia koje sve imaju ESOP model pokazalo da je to moguće. Zato jer je svaki radnik koji je uložio neka sredstva u svoju tvrtku i koji očekuje neku dobit, suštinski zainteresiran da tvrtka funkcionira kako treba. Time se pojačava interes zaposlenih kao i efikasnost njihovog rada jer je motivacija puno veća kad čovjek radi sam za sebe nego kad radi za nekog drugog.
- Što je ESOP model?
To je model radničkog dioničarstva u kojem radnici na osnovu vlastitog udjela direktno upravljaju društvom kroz radničke savjete, vijeća, ili odabirom svojih predstavnika u upravnim tijelima.
- Kako je Vlada reagirala na to?
Taj naš prijedlog su smatrali neprihvatljivim zbog obaveza koje je RH potpisala s EU. Tako da su se odlučili na privatizaciju kroz fondove, no detalji su još u potpunosti nepoznati. Mi smo sedam dana nakon što su radnici usvojili „Plan B“ sudjelovali u velikom prosvjedu na Korzu u Rijeci na kojem se okupilo najviše radnika 3. Maja koji su zahtijevali, ne samo zahtjeve inicijative nego općenito očuvanje brodogradnje. Tada smo pokazali da nećemo dopustiti da 3. Maj tek tako šaptom padne.
- Mislite li da je nakon svih tih odluka vlade i dalje moguće voditi borbu?
Ne znam. Vidite i sami što se događa u Europskoj uniji, sustav se praktički urušava i očito je da treba tražiti neke nove izlaze i nova rješenja. A radničko samoupravljanje nam je zasad jedino logično dugoročno rješenje.
- Kako komentirate izjave da je brodogradnja djelatnost koja uvijek posluje u deficitu, kao i da u Europi ne može konkurirati azijskoj proizvodnji? Gdje vidite budućnost škverova?
Hrvatska brodogradnja, čak i ovom trenutku kada je situacija izuzetno teška, državi na jednu uloženu kunu vraća 2,61 kune. Da bi vam situacija bila jasnija, u cijenu broda je oko 66% domaćeg rada i opreme dok je samo 1/3 je uvozna komponenta. Stoga je brodogradnja u ovom trenutku najveći izvoznik koji sudjeluje s oko 15% u ukupnom izvozu RH.
- Jeste li u akcijama surađivali i s nekim inicijativama izvan samog brodogradilišta? Koliko se Rijeka solidarizirala s problemom 3. Maja?
Činjenica je da su tu inicijativu podržavali svi sindikati, ali i mreža anarho-sindikalista (MASA) te studenti. Neprestanim ukazivanjem na naš problem uspjeli smo izazvati reakcije u gradu. Sam gradonačelnik je pokazao veliki interes za budućnost 3. Maja jer shvaća da bez 3. Maja nema ni grada. To je srce Rijeke.
- Zašto je 3. Maj važan za Rijeku?
Iz jednostavnog razloga . Na svakog zaposlenog u brodogradilištu dolazi 3 zaposlena u nekim drugim djelatnostima. Sve trgovine u Rijeci znaju kad 3. Maj isplaćuje plaću. Dvije i pol tisuće radnika puta prosječna neto plaća od 5.000, to vam je 12,5 milijuna kuna mjesečno koje se uglavnom potroše u ovom gradu.
- Nekad su brodogradilišta višak svojih sredstava investirali u komunalne servise, stanogradnju, sport, kulturu… Mislite li da bi se taj višak koji sad odlazi u privatne džepove mogao investirati u društvenu vrijednost?
Banke su, poput one Riječke, nekada bile oformljene upravo zbog industrije, a te su banke investirale višak i u javne stambene fondove. Budući da su sada banke u privatnom vlasništvu više im nije u interesu razvoj proizvodnje. Danas se izvlače viškovi iz 3. Maja putem kamata na kreditna sredstva koje država plaća privatnim bankama, a sigurno bi bilo bolje da se ta sredstva investiraju u stanove ili objekte od općeg dobra.
- Vjerujete li da bi nešto takvo bilo moguće kad bi brodogradilište bilo u rukama radnika?
Budući da sav plasman kapitala, pa tako i u brodogradilištu, ovisi o bankama vrlo važan segment u svemu bilo bi imati našu banku koja bi podržavala proizvodnju, a ne potrošnju. Na žalost, danas vam je puno lakše dobit kredit za kupiti auto nego za pokrenuti proizvodnju.
- What were your specific proposals?
We proposed that the workers take over the management of the shipyard for a certain period of time, in order to demonstrate that we are capable of managing the shipyard, together with the state as the main owner, and creating a solid business base.
- So, you proposed that the shipyard remain state-owned and the workers take over the management?
Yes, and we proposed that after a five year period, if the workers prove to be successful, the shares should be given over to them. After the workers council in our shipyard adopted this proposal, the same plan was also adopted by the shipyards in Kraljevica and Split.
- Your Shipyard has 2.500 employees, 3.000 including the subcontractors. Do you believe that the workers are capable of organizing production on such a large scale?
In fact, it was exactly the large companies as Jaguar, Boeing or Nokia, which adopted ESOP, that proved it to be possible. It is because every worker who invests some assets, expecting to gain benefits, is essentially interested in the well-functioning of the company.
- What is the ESOP model?
It is a management model where workers as share-holders directly participate in managing the company through the workers’ councils, assemblies, or by choosing their representatives in the management.
- What was the government’s reaction to this?
They considered it unacceptable because of the commitments that Croatia has towards the EU. They decided to privatize it through some funds, but the details are still completely unknown. Seven days after we adopted the “Plan B”, we organized a big protest in the center of the city, demanding not just the adoption of the proposals of the initiative, but generally the preservation of the shipbuilding industry. It was then that we showed that we won’t let the shipyard go down easily.
- Is it possible to continue the struggle after all the governments’ decisions?
I don’t know. You can see what is going on in the EU, the system is collapsing and it is obvious that we have to find new ways out, new solutions. Right now, we see the workers’ self-management as our only logical long-term solution.
- What about the claim that shipbuilding is an industry which runs deficits and that Europe cannot compete with Asian production? How do you see the future of shipyards?
Even at this difficult moment, on every 1 Euro invested in shipbuilding by the state, there is a return of 2,61 Euros. The price of the ship is composed 66% of local labor and equipment, while only 1/3 is imported. Shipbuilding is thus the largest exporter in Croatia, comprising 15% of the overall national export.
- Did you cooperate with initiatives outside the shipyard? Did the citizens show solidarity with the problems of 3.Maj?
The initiative was supported by all the unions, by MASA (Network of Anarcho-Syndicalists) and by the students. By continuously making our problem visible, we succeeded in provoking reactions in the city. Even the mayor showed great interest in the future of 3. Maj, since he understood that without 3. Maj, there is no city. It is the heart of Rijeka.
- Why is 3. Maj so important for Rijeka?
The reason is simple. For every single employee in the shipyard, you get 3 more employees in other services. All the shops know when the shipyard workers receive their wages. If you multiply 2.500 employees with an average salary of 650 Euros, you get 1.625.000 Euros which are spent every month mainly in the city.
- Formerly, shipyards used to invest their profit in communal services, housing, sport, culture, etc. Do you think that the surplus that is currently ending up in private accounts could be invested in these common goods?
Formerly, the banks, as the Bank of Rijeka, where established precisely to serve the needs of industry and even invested their profits in housing funds. Since the banks are now private, that is not in their interest anymore. These days the surplus is being extracted from the shipyard through interests on loans which the state pays to private banks. Obviously, it would be better if this surplus were invested in housing or some other common good.
- Do you think that something like that would be possible if the shipyards were worker-owned?
Since all investments, even in shipbuilding, depend on banks, a very important thing would be to have our own bank, which would support production, not consumption. Unfortunately, today it is easier to get a loan for buying a car than for starting production.