HOTEL WORKERS have threatened to walk off the job during the peak tourist month of August if their collective agreement with their employers is not renewed.
This could mean trouble for hotel owners, who hope to reap as much as they can over the holiday season.
Workers’ unions SEK and PEO will meet with hotel employers tomorrow in the presence of the Labour Ministry to discuss the renewal of the collective agreement.
General Secretary of SEK Nicos Epistithiou yesterday told the Cyprus Mail that the collective agreement ran out months ago and the workers are now demanding it be renewed.
“The hotel employers have shown no intention of renewing the workers’ contracts so we have said that we will take strike measures if a solution is not found,” said Epistithiou.
He added that the workers would give their employers ten days notice before striking to give them time to meet their demands or come to some agreement.
“It is not our intention to strike and cause chaos for the hotel industry, especially during peak season when the hotels will be full. The workers’ goal is not to strike, but to have their collective agreement renewed,” said Epistithiou.
He said that this was not about settling accounts or getting even with employers, but about workers obtaining their rights.
President of the Hoteliers Association Harris Loizides said that the matter must be resolved and has asked workers and unions not to strike for the sake of the tourists and Cypriots who wish to enjoy their holidays at a hotel.
“A strike by the workers could have huge consequences on the Cyprus economy as tourism has always been the main financial income for the island,” said Loizides.
Hotel employers have said they are willing to satisfy workers’ requests as long as the unions will also respect their conditions.
One of these conditions is that employers reduce the starting wage for new hotel workers.
Epistithiou was outraged at this and said if starting wages for hotel workers were any lower, then hotel employers would only be able to find foreigners to work at their establishments.
He said that in 1998 the salaries were lowered by 7.5 per cent and remained low for four years.
“Yet another reduction in the salaries would make the starting salary lower than that of a shop worker, which is the minimum wage according to EU directives,” said Epistithiou.
