Optimism for peace in hotel sector

An agreement between hotel owners and employees in the sector focusing on improving working conditions is expected soon following a joint meeting between the parties, it emerged on Friday.

The agreement is aimed at securing salary increases, enhancing holiday pay, and raising contributions to the provident fund. Both sides expressed optimism following the meeting, which was mediated by representatives of the labour ministry.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the general secretary of the SYXKA-PEO union Neophytos Timinis said the coming days are critical.

“Our bodies have decided that this period offers the final opportunity for the department of labour relations to either submit a mediation proposal or declare an impasse,” he said.

He also stressed that the priority for workers is to ensure that the agreement reached will be implemented by all hotel owners and cover all employees, adding that they are awaiting proposals from employers on how this will be achieved.

“In recent years, we have observed that many agreements are violated by a significant number of hotel owners the day after they are signed. Unfortunately, few actually end up implementing them,” Timinis said.

“If the agreement is enforced by all hotel owners for all employees, it will make the industry more attractive, potentially drawing back people who used to work in the hotel industry and retaining current employees who might otherwise leave due to poor conditions.”

Timinis also mentioned the recent influx of workers from third countries “has led to a decline in service quality as the staff are often unskilled.

“We need to find ways to provide appropriate training for these workers,” he concluded.

General secretary of the OYXEK-SEK union Michalis Frangos said there is positivity from all sides, and “we hope that everything will go well next week.”

President of the hoteliers’ association (Pasyxe) Thanos Michaelides said the meeting was conducted in “a good atmosphere of understanding and willingness” but there was nothing concrete to announce. However, he expressed confidence that a conclusion would be reached soon.