17/12/2015 12:17
Labor confrontations are breaking out in sensitive areas of the economy, on the verge of the exit of Cyprus from the Memorandum.
The handling of trade unions’ requests by the government seems to increase the appetite of organized bodies, seeking to ensure their working status and their benefits.
Before it even leaves the adjustment program, the government is faced with a number of fronts that suggest ominous developments in employment issues in sensitive sectors such as semi-governmental organisations, banks and agriculture.
The months-long labor crisis underlying at the Cooperative between the CCB and ETYK takes the form of a 48 hour warning strike today in the wake of yesterday’s vote of the five bills for the recapitalization of the Cooperative with €200 mn from taxpayers.
ETYK is claiming a retroactive payment of ATA to the members of the Cooperative as well as surcharges for 2014 and 2015. At the same time the union issued a circular yesterday stating that a process of raising criminal lawsuits against members of the committee and administration of CCB for not paying ATA and surcharges has been initiated.
The union claims that an agreement was reached with CCB on November 30, which, was allegedly overturned following an intervention by the ministry of finance.
It is unknown why the administration of CCB was discussing concession of increases to a portion of employees, while at the same time it needs a second bail-out by the state.
The president of CCB Nicolas Hadjiyiannis speaking on national radio this morning said that ETYK came very close to an agreement, but the final version was converted from an individual right to increases to collective, which, as he said, was not accepted by the employers' side.
ETYK was criticized yesterday by the employers' federation which described today’s dynamic mobilization as an attack against the Cooperative.
"ETYK’s behavior against the Cooperative causes a lot of questions" Mr. Hatzigiannis noted, adding that COOPs will operate as usual today and tomorrow.
He admitted, however, that there will be a problem with the service that manages loan restructurings as it is housed at the CCB where strike action will take place.
The strike of members of ETYK at CCB, does not involve members of SEK, PEO and PASYDY unions.
Cyta front
In the telecommunications front leaders of the five trade unions that are organized at Cyta are expected to complete their meetings with parliamentary parties in the context of their campaign against the privatization of the authority.
They made it clear that next steps of Cyta workers lead to taking dynamic measures.
At yesterday's meeting at the presidential palace under Mr. Anastasiades, the two sides confirmed their disagreement as regards the change of the institutional framework for Cyta.
The unions insist on maintaining the public character and status of the organization, calling on the government to remove prerequisites for the privatization of Cyta, while the government insists on the privatisation of the authority.
Black smoke at EAC
At the same time the labor crisis is not over at EAC as the unions sent a letter to President Anastasiades emphasizing that the ownership separation of the authority is not consistent with what was agreed with him at the recent meeting at the presidential palace.
Trade unions complain about the content of the proposal in principle that was prepared by the Department of Energy and will be brought to the cabinet in relation to the effective and efficient unbundling of EAC.
The unbundling of EAC is one of the prerequisites set by troika for a positive assessment of the adjustment program.
The ministry of energy in its response to the position of the trade unions claims that the decision taken at the presidential palace was to start a dialogue between the two sides with a consultative character and not for adopting the proposal.
According to Politis newspaper citing the ministry of energy, international creditors do not accept the operational and accounting separation of EAC as it is in process, as acceptable and functional.
Farmers protesting
Farmers who are members of three of the five farmers’ organizations, EKA, PEK and New Rural Movement go on a street protest today, after the stalemate which, as they say, arose during yesterday's meeting with President Anastasiades.
Farmers will go on a protest at 11 am outside the presidential palace demanding the immediate "area" payment and per capita subsidy to farmers.
Other organizations Panagrotikos and Evroagrotikos argue that protesting is unnecessary, since as they say, subsidies will be delayed for merely 10-15 days.
The handling of trade unions’ requests by the government seems to increase the appetite of organized bodies, seeking to ensure their working status and their benefits.
Before it even leaves the adjustment program, the government is faced with a number of fronts that suggest ominous developments in employment issues in sensitive sectors such as semi-governmental organisations, banks and agriculture.
The months-long labor crisis underlying at the Cooperative between the CCB and ETYK takes the form of a 48 hour warning strike today in the wake of yesterday’s vote of the five bills for the recapitalization of the Cooperative with €200 mn from taxpayers.
ETYK is claiming a retroactive payment of ATA to the members of the Cooperative as well as surcharges for 2014 and 2015. At the same time the union issued a circular yesterday stating that a process of raising criminal lawsuits against members of the committee and administration of CCB for not paying ATA and surcharges has been initiated.
The union claims that an agreement was reached with CCB on November 30, which, was allegedly overturned following an intervention by the ministry of finance.
It is unknown why the administration of CCB was discussing concession of increases to a portion of employees, while at the same time it needs a second bail-out by the state.
The president of CCB Nicolas Hadjiyiannis speaking on national radio this morning said that ETYK came very close to an agreement, but the final version was converted from an individual right to increases to collective, which, as he said, was not accepted by the employers' side.
ETYK was criticized yesterday by the employers' federation which described today’s dynamic mobilization as an attack against the Cooperative.
"ETYK’s behavior against the Cooperative causes a lot of questions" Mr. Hatzigiannis noted, adding that COOPs will operate as usual today and tomorrow.
He admitted, however, that there will be a problem with the service that manages loan restructurings as it is housed at the CCB where strike action will take place.
The strike of members of ETYK at CCB, does not involve members of SEK, PEO and PASYDY unions.
Cyta front
In the telecommunications front leaders of the five trade unions that are organized at Cyta are expected to complete their meetings with parliamentary parties in the context of their campaign against the privatization of the authority.
They made it clear that next steps of Cyta workers lead to taking dynamic measures.
At yesterday's meeting at the presidential palace under Mr. Anastasiades, the two sides confirmed their disagreement as regards the change of the institutional framework for Cyta.
The unions insist on maintaining the public character and status of the organization, calling on the government to remove prerequisites for the privatization of Cyta, while the government insists on the privatisation of the authority.
Black smoke at EAC
At the same time the labor crisis is not over at EAC as the unions sent a letter to President Anastasiades emphasizing that the ownership separation of the authority is not consistent with what was agreed with him at the recent meeting at the presidential palace.
Trade unions complain about the content of the proposal in principle that was prepared by the Department of Energy and will be brought to the cabinet in relation to the effective and efficient unbundling of EAC.
The unbundling of EAC is one of the prerequisites set by troika for a positive assessment of the adjustment program.
The ministry of energy in its response to the position of the trade unions claims that the decision taken at the presidential palace was to start a dialogue between the two sides with a consultative character and not for adopting the proposal.
According to Politis newspaper citing the ministry of energy, international creditors do not accept the operational and accounting separation of EAC as it is in process, as acceptable and functional.
Farmers protesting
Farmers who are members of three of the five farmers’ organizations, EKA, PEK and New Rural Movement go on a street protest today, after the stalemate which, as they say, arose during yesterday's meeting with President Anastasiades.
Farmers will go on a protest at 11 am outside the presidential palace demanding the immediate "area" payment and per capita subsidy to farmers.
Other organizations Panagrotikos and Evroagrotikos argue that protesting is unnecessary, since as they say, subsidies will be delayed for merely 10-15 days.
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