Politis

Trade Unions Submit Memorandum to President Regarding Minimum Wage

Published January 6, 2026, 10:21
Trade Unions Submit Memorandum to President Regarding Minimum Wage

Trade unions SEK, PEO, and DEOK have submitted a memorandum to President Christodoulides requesting dialogue on four key issues: the national minimum wage, collective bargaining agreements, the employment of workers from third countries, and the implementation of the 'Ergani 2' system. The main request is an increase in the minimum wage, which the unions believe is inadequate in relation to the rising cost of living and its connection to the median wage. The OEB opposes the immediate revision of the minimum wage, arguing that the discussion has already been completed and that a change would undermine tripartite cooperation and destabilize labor relations. The OEB's General Manager, Michalis Antoniou, states that the government has already made its decision on the minimum wage, which will be implemented from January 1, 2026. The SEK rejected the OEB's position, emphasizing that the minimum wage is determined by decree and not through dialogue. Furthermore, it highlighted that the current level of the wage does not meet the needs of low-wage workers. The General Secretary of SEK, Andreas Matsas, expressed concern about the social consequences of stagnation in the minimum wage. In addition to the minimum wage, the memorandum includes requests for the expansion of the application of collective bargaining agreements, the improvement of the strategy for the employment of workers from third countries, and the effective implementation of the 'Ergani 2' software to protect the rights of workers. AKEL also supports the trade unions' request for a minimum wage increase.