Employees working in the public and wider public sector demanded on Thursday during a three hour strike the full restoration of Cost-of-living Adjustment (CoLA) to 100% and urged for it to be applied to all. At noon, rallies took place in cities across the island, with crowds of strikers and unionists shouting slogans such as "Hands off CoLA" and "CoLA for all".
CoLA was frozen in 2012, due to the economic crisis. In 2017 there was an agreement for the restoration of CoLA to 50%, which was updated in 2023 for the allocation of CoLA at 66.7%. Unions now demand its full restoration, while employers ask for a reform of the mechanism.
At the rallies, a resolution signed by all unions participating in the strike was read out and approved by acclamation from the crowd. Unions from all over the world sent messages of solidarity and support.
In the resolution, the unions reaffirm their commitment to protecting CoLA and declare that they will continue to fight until its full restoration on the basis of its philosophy.
“The unions also express their disappointment, because throughout the course of social dialogue the employers’ side maintained an uncompromising and inflexible stance, consistently putting forward positions that lead to the abolition of CoLA. This, in turn, leads to the further serious deregulation of collective labour agreements, of which CoLA is an integral part,” the resolution reads.
Furthermore, the trade unions express their regret “that the government did not take advantage of the spirit of conciliation demonstrated by the unions during the dialogue carried out under the auspices of the Minister of Labour, in order to submit a mediating proposal in line with the letter and spirit of the transitional agreement within the set timeframe.”
The unions urge employers, even at this stage, "to respect their signature and to constructively engage in the dialogue to find a solution." As they note, the implementation of COLA must be maintained in accordance with its philosophy, which is to preserve the purchasing power of wages, thus contributing to safeguarding workers’ living standards, promoting social cohesion, and supporting consumption as well as the real economy.
Referring to the government’s stance, which the unions describe as “unacceptable,” they said that the government avoids taking a clear position or submitting a concrete proposal for the full implementation of COLA, to extend the mechanism to all workers, and for measures that would oblige employers to apply the provisions agreed upon in collective agreements.
“Procrastination in dialogue and holding last-minute meetings without substantive focus is an insult to working people," the resolution says, adding that such actions downgrade and undermine the principles of Social Dialogue. Supporting low-wage earners and the middle class is a priority for the unions, they note, pointing out they will continue their efforts to improve their income through a substantial increase in the minimum wage and its adjustment based on COLA within the renewal of collective agreements and their application to all workers.
The resolution also conveys the message that “COLA for all, in line with its philosophy,” is an urgent necessity which the government must prove in practice that it respects and adopts.
The trade unions seek to safeguard "quality and dignity in work, respect for agreements made, and the required respect for all workers,” the resolution concludes.
CNA/MCH/EPH/2025
ENDS, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY
