The government ruling forces want us to tell them ‘well done’! – Article by Eleni Mavrou – AKEL Political Bureau member

 

Sunday 4 September 2022, “Haravgi” newspaper

“A historic day for labour relations and the welfare state envisioned by the President of the Republic, Nicos Anastasiades”. With these words, the Minister of Labour announced the government’s decision on the minimum wage.

The “historic day” according to the Minister of Labour is 940 euros of the minimum wage, of which workers will receive 840 euros. And this at a time when the poverty line has been set at 834 euros. If young, he/she will have to make do, more or less, with 790 euros, given that for the first six months of employment the minimum wage was set at 885 euros!

The supposed “welfare state” envisioned by Nicos Anastasiades is the one that, in the final analysis, deprives young people of a dignified standard of living and the right to dream for the future.

And this despite the fact that the government ruling forces are celebrating the Cyprus economy’s ‘upgrading’ by the rating agencies. These “agencies” do not take into account that 154,000 people (17.3% of the population) are at risk of poverty and face social exclusion. These are the figures released by the Statistical Office for 2021. Thousands of people, that is, are unable to pay their electricity and water bills, or their mortgages, unable to afford adequate heating in winter, or to cope with an emergency but necessary expenditure, etc.

The amount set as a minimum wage isn’t the only provocation. Al a time when price hikes have brought working people to their knees, at a time when inflation has reached double digits and the cost of living is constantly rising, this too has its own importance.

The government’s decision [on the minimum wage] provides an alibi for the deregulation of labour relations. The lack of any reference to working hours or an hourly wage legitimises the phenomena of “flexible” working hours and the extension of working hours without overtime pay.

The government’s decision boosts cheap labour, particularly for young people, and leaves a large section of working people without any protection.

In fact, the government’s decision erodes collective agreements just weeks after the EU institutions agreed (in early June) that member states in which less than 80% of the workforce is protected by collective agreements are obliged to take measures to increase this coverage. In Cyprus, after 2012, the percentage of working people covered by collective agreements fell from 70-80% to 55%. This is as a result of the government’s policies promoting deregulation, the increase in part-time employment, the purchase of services, etc.

At a time when unemployment or underemployment is rising, wages are losing dramatically from their purchasing value, small and medium enterprises and shops are closing down, whilst health and education benefits are being curbed at the same as profits are booming. The government ruling forces have clearly taken a clear stand on the side of the latter – as they have always done, after all.

Working people however are asserting to have equal rights in society. To be able to be properly fed, to have dignified housing, to be able to take care of themselves and their children.

And this is an assertion they are not prepared to abandon!