Construction unions have threatened action over a Labour Ministry decision to renew permits for third-country workers at firms that, they say, face official complaints of breaching collective agreements and labour law.
In a joint statement, the Cyprus Workers’ Confederation (SEK), the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) and the Democratic Labour Federation of Cyprus (DEOK) warned they would take all appropriate measures if what they called the ‘rewarding’ of lawbreakers through permit renewals continued.
The unions said it could not be right for the Department of Labour Inspection to carry out checks, record violations, file complaints and secure convictions, while the state allowed the same practices to continue without real consequences through the permit renewal process.
They singled out public works. Contractors who sign contracts with the state, including for ministries, semi-government organisations and local authorities, are required to apply collective agreements under the terms of those contracts, the unions said. These are the sectoral or prevailing agreements signed between unions and employers’ organisations.
The unions said it was unacceptable that projects funded by the Cypriot public should involve breaches by firms that did not apply those agreements, with the government then granting them permits to employ third-country workers.
Tolerating such practices creates unfair competition, undermines collective agreements and employment terms, and harms all workers in the sector, while third-country workers are exploited, the unions said.
