Hotel worker unions are pushing for salary increases and benefits as the tourism industry experiences a significant upturn.
This initiative is part of the broader effort to renew the collective agreement within the industry.
Negotiations between unions and hotel associations to renew the collective agreement in the hotel industry are scheduled to commence next week, starting on Tuesday, January 23. SEK and PEO unions have already submitted their demands, including salary hikes, increased provident fund contributions, and enhanced benefits for hotel industry employees, as outlined by the “Labour Voice,” SEK’s newspaper.
Despite the unions taking a proactive stance, the employer side is yet to present its demands. PASYXE and STEK, the employer associations, have expressed their intent to propose specific terms for the contract renewal, which expired in December 2023, following a brief extension agreed upon in 2022.
Neofytos Timinis, the General Secretary of SYXKA-PEO, affirmed the collective goal of the trade union movement to uplift worker salaries and benefits, recognising their pivotal role in the sector’s recovery. “Our goal is for the hotel profession to regain its glory and become attractive again for students, new employees, and existing staff,” stated Timinis, urging the employer side to engage constructively.
Michalis Frangou, Deputy General Secretary of OYXEKA-SEK, emphasised the union’s commitment to implementing SEK’s policy demands. “We contributed to the takeoff,” he stated, highlighting the industry’s recovery as tourist arrivals approached the record levels of 2019.
The unions are not only seeking monetary improvements but are also calling for legislative interventions to safeguard the collective agreement. These demands, however, present a significant hurdle in reaching an agreement for the renewal of the contract in the construction industry.
Negotiations for the construction contract, which expired in May 2022, are now under the mediation service of the Ministry of Labour.
The Ministry’s efforts to prevent labour unrest persist, with a new meeting at the Department of Industrial Relations expected today.
The issue of workforce shortage, affecting not only the construction industry but also other sectors of the economy, is also under discussion at the request of the employer side.
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