Airport private companies must take back the redundancies

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas

The government must implement its commitments to workers

1 November 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The ruling DISY party has made privatisations its banner, but disregards the consequences they have on society and workers who are being led to work as cheap and unregulated labour or /and unemployment.

The latest case is the situation in the airport ground handling sector where workers are confronted these weeks with sweeping wage cuts and mass redundancies. The Minister of Transport had committed himself in public statements earlier this month that any new companies licensed to provide ground handling services at Larnaca and Paphos airports would be obliged to respect the collective agreement and the agreed terms of employment. They will also be obliged to staff all permanent and temporary positions with staff from existing companies which will become redundant due to a reduction in turnover. However, neither of these two things is happening since the government has not fulfilled its commitments. On the contrary, 156 airport workers have already received redundancy letters!

AKEL demands that the government fulfill its commitments to the workers and demand here and now that the private companies at the airports take back the redundancies and comply immediately with the collective agreement.

AKEL stands by the workers and trade unions in this struggle.