AKEL calls for solutions to critical labour problems
Statement by Andreas Kafkalias, AKEL MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance Committee
6th July 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
We had the opportunity today to exchange views and raise important issues before the Minister of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance, which fall within her responsibilities.
Given that this meeting took place two days after the deadly fires in mountainous regions of Limassol and Larnaca, we raised the question of what the competent Ministry intends to do in relation to the most tragic aspect of the catastrophic fires, namely the loss of four human lives, four foreign workers in our country.
More specifically, with regard to the framework on foreign worker’s employment strategy and working and living conditions, we as AKEL have stressed the need to promote and complete the social dialogue and submit a modernising proposal.
Beyond that, we raised numerous issues before the Minister, including the setting of a minimum wage by occupation, the obligation of employers to implement agreed collective agreements, the reform of the Pension Fund and the abolition of the 12% for those retiring at 63, the need to increase low pensions and maternity and parental leave, the extension of the Special Schemes to support working people due to the pandemic, the delay in the implementation of the UN Convention on Disabled Persons, as well as the great delay observed in the processing of pension applications, but also in the payment of benefits from the Social Security Fund and the Minimum Guaranteed Income.
AKEL will bring back all the above, but also other issues that concern society, workers, vulnerable groups of the population and pensioners with the submission of our proposals.
