Orphanides: our staff don't want to join a union

CHRISTOS Orphanides, owner of Orphanides Supermarkets, yesterday denied allegations that his company forbade its employees from joining trade unions.

“The truth is that out of 800 company employees there are just three people who expressed a desire to have a union represent them.

“We have even invited the Labour Ministry to conduct a survey of their own if they want further proof.”

Orphanides also expressed his anger at the behaviour of the unions towards his employees.

“We are in the twenty-first century and entering Europe and yet our unions are behaving as they did 50 years go. They’re visiting my employees’ homes and disturbing them. Even when the employees ask the unions to stop they don’t — it’s been going on for three months now.

“Our employees are not stupid, they would join a union if their interests weren’t represented by us. But the benefits our company offers them mean they don’t want to join,” Orphanides said.