Meetings of militants of the Building, Wood, Mine and General Workers Trade Union of the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO)
We shall continue our struggles with unity, organisation and optimism
6 April 2023
Assemblies of members affiliated to the Building, Wood, Mine and General Workers Trade Union of the Pancyprian Federation of Labour of Cyprus (PEO) were held with great success in all cities.
The aim was to brief the trade union militants about the general issues of concern to workers at the moment: the Automatic Cost of Living Allowance COLA, employment policy concerning foreign workers, the 12% penalty that has been imposed on those choosing to retire at 63, the status of negotiations regarding the renewal of Collective Agreements in the sectors that the Trade Union inspects. The Union’s militants also discussed ways of improving their work in their daily activities among workers.
The General Secretary of the trade union, Michalis Papanikolaou, attended and spoke at all the meetings and analysed the very difficult situation in which workers find themselves, not only in Cyprus but throughout the whole world too due to the unacceptable policies being implemented by the conservative forces of capital. He pointed out the fact that a very encouraging message is being sent by the dynamic and organised reaction of the workers’ movements in numerous countries, which is growing every day.
The General Secretary of the Trade Union reiterated that the path of organised struggle of workers is the only way to confront these difficult situations and called on them to remain optimistic and faithful to the principles of the class-based trade union movement of the Pancyprian Federation of Labour, to always be close to the Trade Union and to be ready to react to anything that may be needed in the future. At the same time, M.Papanikolaou called on them to make use of the tools at their disposal in the best possible way, such as the legislation on employees in the construction industry, the standard contract in public sector works, Collective Agreements and the various infrastructures of the Movement of PEO.
“The proper use of these tools will help us to achieve the goals we have set, such as the full restoration of the COLA, the implementation of Collective Agreements, the issues concerning the new government’s change in policy on the employment strategy with regards workers from third countries, the 12% penalty on pensions, the renewal of all Collective Agreements that are in the process of being renewed”, M. Papanikolaou pointed out.
The members of the Trade Union who attended the meetings assured that through the rallying of their forces, their organisation and the forging of unity among working people and their readiness to react, they will manage to fulfill their goals.