Workers at Larnaca port staged a work stoppage on Thursday morning over health and safety conditions they say endanger their wellbeing, prompting the Ministry of Transport to intervene.
Videos and photos secured by philenews showed rats in external areas, sewage and sanitation facilities in terrible condition. Workers complained that necessary work has not been done to fix roads, creating safety hazards from potholes and cables.
The unions SEGDAMELIN-PEO and OMEPEGE-SEK said the warning work stoppage by employees of the Development Company of Larnaca, formerly Kition Ocean Port, began at 7:30am over safety and health issues.
“Despite repeated approaches to the competent Ministry of Transport and CPA nothing was corrected,” the unions said in a statement. “Safety and health issues are of utmost importance and no compromises and concessions can be made on them.”
Workers demanded clean drinking water, clean sanitation facilities and safe workspaces without potholes and cables that pose risks to their safety and health.
“We as workers and unions demand from the Ministry of Transport and the Minister himself to ensure our workspaces are clean and safe so they can work and return intact and healthy to their homes,” the statement said, adding that the Labour Ministry must strictly enforce the Safety and Health Law regardless of workplace or employer.
The stoppage ended shortly before noon after a meeting was arranged for Friday with the general director of the Cyprus Ports Authority to discuss the problems.
After the publication of the images, the general directorate of the Ministry of Transport intervened with the CPA. An urgent letter called on the authority to immediately take all corrective measures for the protection of people working at Larnaca port.
The CPA issued a statement disputing the workers’ claims, saying the stoppage was carried out suddenly without any warning, violating prescribed procedures and the Industrial Relations Code. The authority said the employer, ANETEL, does not appear to have been previously informed.
“The claims that have been made public about allegedly unsuitable conditions, both in relation to the state of the toilets and the road network within the port, as well as regarding the presence of rodents, are misleading and do not correspond to reality,” the CPA said.
The authority said that whilst in a temporary port management framework, it proceeded with corrective interventions repairing a large part of the road network and sanitation areas. “Only in the month of November three repeated disinfections and rodent control work were carried out, within the usual and prescribed operation of the port, especially during periods of grain unloading,” it added.
The CPA said the actual image as it exists today is reflected in photos it attached to the statement, and that additional improvements are expected.
“The Authority expresses its regret and concern that it was not informed about the issues raised, a fact that creates legitimate questions as to the purposes and objectives of this specific action,” the statement said.
The authority reminded that “the country’s ports constitute a vital pillar of the economy and the supply chain, and therefore maximum responsibility, seriousness and commitment to institutional cooperation is required from all involved.”
