Dignity at workplaces is a priority

Expansion of Collective Agreements Comes First

SEK - Cyprus Workers' Confederation

Decent work is the only safe road to building democracy and social cohesion.

With this simple but self-evident principle, SEK once again honors the 7th of October, established and celebrated as the International Day for Decent Work. A symbol and milestone day established on the initiative of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which brings together 175 million workers from 156 countries and of which SEK is a founding and active member.

The struggle for dignity at work, to be meaningful, must be sustained and purposeful:

1. Improving the incomes of all wage earners.
2. Extending and consolidating the institution of collective agreements.
3. Continuously improving safety and health standards in all workplaces.
4. Constantly strengthening the welfare state, especially during times of high inflation.
5. Protecting human and trade union rights and reducing workplace intimidation, which unfortunately abounds in Cyprus.

The state also has a crucial role to play in this direction. For instance, when entering into public contracts for various development projects, it must require the existence of a collective labor agreement. This agreement should fully protect and safeguard all workers involved in the project.

The presence of a collective agreement is closely linked to the quality of the work produced. This is due to the quality characteristics and training of the workers, both in terms of expertise and health and safety.

Cyprus must take steps forward on these issues related to quality and employment protection and should abandon the practice of awarding public works to either pirate contractors or unorganized entrepreneurs who do not respect labor laws or regulations, creating unfair competition at the expense of legitimate businesses

Dignity at work cannot be achieved by pirates, illegals, or through the silence or apathy of the state.