Vedran Sabljak elected new president of the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia

At the elective assembly of the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia, a new leadership was elected for the upcoming four-year period. The current head of the Rijeka office, Vedran Sabljak, received unanimous support for the leadership position, succeeding Marina Cvitić, the president of the trade union for the past seven years. Vedran Sabljak has many years of experience in trade union work, and began his journey in 2009 as a trade union representative at the Rijeka shipyard 3. maj. At the elective assembly of the trade union in 2013, he was elected to the presidency of the trade union, and since 2018 he has been professionally employed as the head of the trade union office. 

In her farewell speech, Cvitić expressed gratitude to everyone who contributed to the building of this union, starting with the founder in 1995 and the first president, Bruno Bulić, all the way to the union activists whose work shaped the union as it is today. 

"I took over the leadership of the union when it was stable in every respect: financially, in terms of personnel and logistics. My mandate was marked by numerous challenges, from strikes and protests in Uljanik and 3. Maja, to the bankruptcy of Uljanik and two years marked by the coronavirus pandemic. Today I can say that I am leaving behind an even stronger and more stable union, which provides security and a guarantee that this union will outlive many generations to come.", the president concluded as she left. 

The newly elected president, Vedran Sabljak, thanked everyone for the trust they placed in him and emphasized that it was a great honor, but also a responsibility, to succeed trade unionists like Bruno Bulić and Marina Cvitić.

"I am confident that our new, almost completely rejuvenated team will continue on the path they have trodden, in order to maintain, but also improve, the activities and identity of the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia." 

As the main points of his program, Sabljak emphasizes the continuation of the persistent fight for workers' rights, but also the expansion of trade union activities to new sectors and regions. 

"I believe that we can strengthen our operations in more remote regions such as Dalmatia and the interior of Croatia, which would, consequently, mean additional staff strengthening so that we can provide the same quality support to our membership as those in the areas where we already operate", emphasized Sabljak, with an emphasis on connecting with other unions and international trade union organizations. 

Also, as one of the priorities of his program, Sabljak emphasizes the modernization of trade union activities and bringing trade union work closer to younger generations. 

"We must adapt to new conditions and reach out to new generations. To many young people, unions may seem outdated, but we will show them that unions have a role to play in the 21st century.", Sabljak concluded. 

In addition to the fact that this is the year in which the Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia gained a new president, December also marks the 30th anniversary of the union's founding, which will be solemnly marked with a session at the end of the year. 

Source and photo: Trade Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia