Statements by the General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL A.Kyprianou, after the meeting with a delegation of the Central Council of EDON Youth Organisation
10th May 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
“We had a very thorough discussion with the Young Workers Department of EDON on the problems young working people are currently facing
I must say that we have concluded that from the beginning there is a great identification of views on these issues and at the same time we have stated that we shall work together to promote positions through actions and mobilisations, but also in Parliament to protect young workers against any attacks they might come under after the end of the pandemic, both with regards their rights, but also the danger of unemployment.
AKEL has elaborated positions on these issues. I will refer to the most important ones, which can be summarized as follows. First and foremost the need to introduce a minimum wage for every sector young people are working. Secondly, a mechanism should be set up for legislating minimum wages and rights where there are no collective agreements. Thirdly, there should be mandatory implementation of agreed collective agreements in all sectors and the legal safeguarding of the superiority of collective agreements over individual/personal contracts. Fourthly, the housing issue that is developing into one of the biggest problems for young couples and young people in general.
AKEL insists that rent should be subsidized according to socio-economic criteria for those young people or couples who don’t have the opportunity to acquire their own home. There must be paid parental leave up to the amount of the sickness benefit and also something that is extremely important for young couples, namely that childcare benefit should be granted to infant care centres or child day care centers again on the basis of income criteria.
I want to end by saying that it isn’t enough to simply issue declarations that young people are society’s most precious asset. The state through its actions must protect the young generation and give it all the necessary opportunities so that it will be able to really be society’s most precious asset.”
