There’s no real union struggle behind these strikes

Sir,
It boggles my mind to read about an island-wide bank strike by ETYK, in protest to NBG’s layoff of two bank employees.

I couldn’t also help notice in the news the nationwide strike in Greece by just about anyone who’s on somebody’s payroll.

I never quite understood the timing of these strikes. When Cyprus Airways was going through tough times, they would experience frequent flight delays due to sudden strikes. Now that banks, across the globe, are in the spotlight for potentially toxic assets, our banks are striking for laughable reasons.

These unions which are powerful enough to cripple whole economies, strand thousands of people going about their lives and get the government to negotiate on their behalf are not only short-sighted, but also self destructive.

I never hear them fighting for equal pay for immigrants and minority groups. Neither do they seem to raise any questions out of the hundreds of work-related accidents or the tens of fatal ones.
But they will raise hell when a private company that pays taxes and employees hundreds of people decides to lay off union members.

Workers’ rights should be undeniable and embedded in our constitution, but it’s one thing to fight for a safe environment and fair wages, and quite another to dictate to a bank whom to have on their payroll. And of course by doing that, they create a major disincentive for any foreign company to invest in our country.

Demetris Ioannou
Larnaca