“Cyprus is not a slave market,” Labour Minister Marinos Moushouttas said on Wednesday, commenting on allegations by the SEK and PEO trade unions over worker-leasing practices in the hotel industry.
Speaking on the sidelines of a Labour Advisory Body meeting in Nicosia, Moushouttas described such practices as unacceptable and said the Ministry of Labour and the Department of Labour would investigate the matter. “The effort of the ministry and the relevant department’s officials is, through checks, to see if such practices exist and, where they do, to follow the path of justice,” he said.
“Everyone’s rights are recognised”
The Minister stressed that Cyprus is a country where everyone’s rights are recognised and must be respected by both employers and workers, regardless of race, religion, colour or sex, adding that the ministry would aim, “if not to eliminate,” then at least to reduce such practices.
Moushouttas said the unions’ letter had reached him a few days earlier and that he was awaiting information from the relevant department in order to decide on next steps. Building on that response, he also called on anyone with knowledge of specific cases to report them, providing names and addresses, so the relevant services could more easily proceed with their investigations.
He clarified, however, that the absence of specific details does not mean the ministry will not investigate the matter.
“We don’t want this to grow and become like the Lernaean Hydra, where you cut off one head and ten others sprout,” the Labour Minister concluded.
