WORKERS at state-owned Eurocypria were yesterday assured they would not lose their jobs when the company closes down in November after being merged with national carrier Cyprus Airways.
Unions yesterday held a crucial meeting with Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis.
Afterwards, the general secretary of Eurocypria union, Elisseos Michail, said Eurocypria was expected to close down on November 13.
“We received assurances from the Finance Minister that on November 13, when Eurocypria’s cycle of operations will end, the employees will not remain exposed,” said Michail.
He added that the minister assured workers they would be transferred to CY and would receive the same benefits they received with Eurocypria, which are provided in their collective agreements and terms of employment.
Michail said the exact date could be altered, though Eurocypria’s summer schedule ends on November 13.
Asked to comment on reactions by CY unions, Michail said the minister had assured him there would be no sackings. However, there will be a package of incentives for members of staff who wish to leave.
“The Minister responded that we would not be faced with obligatory sackings,” said Michail.
Responding to CY unionists – who yesterday continued to threaten the state with strong measures saying the state airline was not a charity, Michail said: “Neither are Eurocypria employees beggars”.
CY union SYNYKA, chief Andreas Pierides said yesterday: “The position expressed to transfer all employees to CY is something we do not agree with. The aim is to use this period from today until November 13 to come up with the correct solution. We will never accept CY being burdened with added staff on November 13.”
He added that CY unions had disagreed with Stavrakis on his plans to offer voluntary retirement. “If we wait until November 13 for all this to happen, we will create such operational problems that this company will sink,” said Pierides.
Eurocypria was bought from CY in 2006 – with €23 million in taxpayers’ money – as part of the state airline’s restructuring plan.
Eurocypria itself was reinforced with a further €35 million in February this year, to help it pay off loans to Piraeus Bank and Marfin Laiki Bank. Deputies now claim parliament was misled into approving the funds after being told Eurocypria’s had a viable future.
DISY Deputy President Averoff Neophytou yesterday met CY pilots’ union PASYPI, who have openly voiced their concerns over the merger and how this could affect their jobs.
Speaking afterwards, Neophytou said the government’s plans for the state airlines were “extremely dangerous” for the future of Cyprus’ air transport.
He said a team of surveyors had looked into the merger plans on behalf of DISY and found there would be some serious consequences on CY, as well as the workers.
“If the government’s financial team and President Demetris Christofias implement what they are saying and go ahead with the merger in the manner they are planning, what the 320 Eurocypria workers are going through today will be experienced in record time at Cyprus Airways too,” said Neophytou. “I am saddened to note that there hasn’t been a serious and scientific examination of the possible consequences, nor has anyone thought of what may happen and what alarm bells will ring in Brussels.”
Neophytou said it was a shame that wrong policies were leading from one state airline closing down to another.
PASYPI president Charalambos Tappas said CY workers empathised with their Eurocypria colleagues over the anxieties they were currently experiencing.
“But on the other hand, we see the proposed solution for Cyprus Airways absorbing Eurocypria’s operations as something that will lead us too to the edge of the cliff,” said Tappas. He added that the union was holding meetings with all interested parties in the hope that their fears and concerns are taken into account.
“There is a very good chance for Cyprus Airways to survive in the future, if the correct actions are taken,” said Tappas.
