Balancing wages and the cost of life was the focus of a meeting on Monday that gathered trade unions from across Cyprus, with trade unionists calling for a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides, demanding that he set clear aims for 2025.

Trade unions reaffirmed their commitment to improving collective agreements and raised questions regarding the course of the economy, employment and unemployment, social cohesion and the cost-of-living allowance (CoLA).

In a statement issued after the meeting, the trade unions said they needed to be included in discussions and pointed out that their participation in decision-making had been “dangerously degraded” recently, bringing into question the smooth operation of labour relations.

The meeting was attended by Sek, Peo, Deok, Pasydy, Oelmek, Poed, Oltek, Pasyki and other trade unions.

The unions said wages over the past decade were decreasing while business profits were rising, specifically -4.1 per cent for wages and 8.2 per cent for profits in relation with the GDP.

The growth of the economy, the trade unions said, confirmed the need for wage increases, to ensure a just and balanced growth.

The trade unions called on the government to take measures to protect and strengthen tripartite cooperation, adding that the challenges were already here and needed to be changed into prospects.

Regarding CoLA, the trade unions stressed the need to fully restore and extend it to cover all workers, in the framework of the European effort to link wages to the cost of life.

Tax reforms were also necessary and should take into consideration the family income and structure, while countermeasures should be given for green taxation so that there were no exclusions, given that over 50 per cent of workers and pensioners were below the taxable income ceiling, the trade unions said.

The trade unions said 30 per cent of pensioners had to keep working to make ends meet, which pointed to the need to improve pensions, through a comprehensive reform of the system.

The minimum wage should also be increased, incorporating CoLA and working hours, they added.

The trade unions also touched upon the issue of workers from third countries, saying that criteria and observation mechanisms should be introduced, covering all employees.

In their statement, the trade unions said the movement remained united and in solidarity, to support all workers and strengthen the labour market and social cohesion.