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Our View: Unions and employers clash over
COLA - By Cyprus
Mail
January 8, 2012 - TOMORROW unions and employer organisations could be
headed for a confrontation as the latter announced on Tuesday that they
would seek an official wage freeze and suspension of the Cost of Living
Allowance (CoLA) for collective agreements in the private sector for
two years.
Unions, other than DEOK, stayed quiet, saying they preferred to
wait until tomorrow’s meeting before saying anything, because
they didn’t want to create a problem beforehand.
If DEOK’s negative comments were anything to go by, the
other main unions are not likely to welcome the employers’
proposals in any way, shape or form.
There is no doubt that Cypriot companies are suffering.
Otherwise there would not be over 32,000 people unemployed.
But in reality there has been a wage freeze in the private
sector for the past three years, even in some sectors that are covered
by collective agreements such as the media. Most, if not all, private
sector workers affected have accepted it, thankful that they still have
a job, and none have taken to the streets to complain. But pushing
through an official freeze enshrined in a collective agreement will be
a difficult if not impossible task.
For the full article, please go to the source below.
Source: "Our View: Unions and employers heading for clash
over CoLA ", Cyprus Mail, January 8, 2012
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