Daily Press Review - 10/10/2019

Banking labour issue in Zeta’s hands

The next few hours will be crucial for labour relations in the banking sector, against the backdrop of the Hellenic Bank strike. For ETYK, the non-concession of the incremental pay rises and CoLA for 2,500 employees at Hellenic Bank is a red line. Conversely, the message that the bank has given one day before the strike, is that there are no red lines and that it’s ready to sit at the negotiating table at any time. As it has been reported, the scheme that was proposed by the management is not final and nothing has been fixed yet. On its part, Hellenic Bank reports that the new collective agreement that will be agreed with ETYK will regulate the pay rises, promotions and contributions to funds. The Minister of Labour, Zeta Emilianidou has been called to intervene in order to prevent any further escalation of the crisis. The Ministry of Labour argued that the labour crisis at Hellenic Bank is very serious and that any public statements must be avoided so as to make a proposal for mediation more powerful. For the time being, the Minister is keeping her cards close to her chest on how she will go about the situation and on whether there is specified meeting with the two sides. The biggest question is what will happen if the differences between ETYK and Hellenic Ban are not solved. As the problems between the management and the union remains unsolved, the stability of the next day is especially fragile.



Mate or checkmate at HB

Hellenic Bank’s move to give pay rises to its employees without first agreeing this with ETYK, is either something that will be proven as a checkmate move and the rest of the banks will be grateful or it will fail and for many years, the current status of horizontal pay rises will not change. The introduction of an evaluation system that will decide any pay rises is correcting a huge distortion. The author concludes, “Really, what are other banks thinking?”



Rethinking the terms of ESTIA

This morning, the director-general of the Ministry of Finance, Giorgos Panteli, the CEO of BoC Panicos Nicolaou, the CEO of Hellenic Bank, Ioannis Matsis, the standing director-general of KEDIPES, Stavros Iacovou and the Director of the Association of Cyprus Banks, Michalis Kronides will discuss the latest developments surrounding ESTIA, as well as other possible measures so as to push more potentially eligible borrowers to apply for the scheme. As CNA reports, they are currently considering to extend the period of applications for entry to the scheme beyond 15 November, while they are thinking to ask the Land Registry Department to not charge any fees, when conducting research on the assets of the eligible borrower’s family, at a time when the banks are not charging for the issuance of bank statements. According to the latest information, around 120 complete applications have been submitted, while there are more than 250 partially completed applications. The eligible borrowers are about 10.000.



Hellenic gives raises, leaving ETYK to decide

Hellenic Bank will proceed to establish a new bank salary system at the end of October, which provides for 2% horizontal increases for all staff. The new bank salary system will be retroactive starting from January 2019. The bank has said that it is still open to negotiate a new collective agreement with ETYK, which will be agreed on a new basis. Hellenic Bank’s messages have been sent at a time when the bank employees union will be proceeding with a 24-hour strike tomorrow, Friday. ETYK has told Hellenic’s management that it wishes to abolish salary grades, it has not complied with its contractual obligations and it has not incorporated the employees of the former Co-op in ETYK’s salary scales. However, Hellenic Bank said that total pay rises to be granted will be much higher than those demanded by ETYK and provided by the expired collective agreement.



ETYK’s terror campaign

ETYK is proceeding with acts of intimidation against Hellenic Bank’s employees, in view of the 24-hour strike on Friday 11 October at Hellenic Bank. According to reports, the union is urging the bank’s employees to participate in the strike or risk losing their benefits. The Banks is calling the Union to stop intimidating the employees, who have been forced to strike and calls on ETYK to discuss and agree on a new collective agreement for the personnel of the former Co-op as well as Hellenic Bank. At the same time, Hellenic’s staff members are supporting the Bank.

 

Strike threat at Limassol port

The possibility of a new strike at Limassol port is looming, with trade unions claiming that there are unjustifiable delays by the employers in the effort to renew the port workers’ collective agreement. Phileleftheros reports that this means it is a matter of days before fresh labour unrest breaks out at the port, with all the negative consequences this will entail for the ports industry. Unions SIDIKEK-PEO and OMEPEGE-SEK are planning to call an extraordinary general meeting of their members, to update the port workers on the latest developments and take decisions on what the next steps should be. A union representative told the paper that the workers are ready for battle and it should be considered a given that they will react strongly, if the employers don’t sign the collective agreement. The representative said that the Cyprus Shipping Association along with operators Eurogate Container Terminal Ltd and DP World Limassol are taking advantage of the port workers’ responsible and patient stance, and continuing to have an unacceptable and negative attitude. “Even though the negotiations that took place with the mediation of the Labour Minister concluded in agreement in late May, it has still not been signed so the new collective agreement can be drawn up,” he said. The port workers’ unions said the operation of the Limassol Port Council was also problematic, as the majority of decisions it has been making lately are causing strong reactions among the workers. They are saying that working practices that used to ensure a good balance and labour peace at the port for years now are no longer being followed, as the employer, without first engaging in dialogue, is resorting to the Port Council and decisions are reached by majority, which are by law binding for all sides. The port workers also accuse the Ports Authority of making a mockery out of their Healthcare Fund, as a dispute over the matter has been pending for years.

 

Limassol port: Strikes on the way

On the topic above, Politis writes that labour peace at Limassol port is hanging by a thread, as five months have passed since the employers and employees reached an agreement and yet the collective agreement has not yet been signed. Union sources told the paper that the employers’ side is backtracking on the agreed. The sources said that if the timeframes that have been set are not met, the workers will have no choice but to react with strike measures.



Video documentary on Turkish provocations in the Cyprus EEZ

According to the report, evidence of Turkey's timeless bravery and piracy activities in the Cypriot seas is revealed through an exclusive video provided by Antenna from foreign sources. The video covers Ankara’s nautical piracy attempt back in February 2018, deploying its warships against the SAIPEM 12000 of the Italian ENI, which had set sail for drilling in the licensed block of the Cyprus EEZ at the target named cuttlefish. The movements of the Turkish ships, clearly seen in the pictures recorded by a member of the SAIPEM crew, were not only a violation of the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus, but also of any maritime safety rules vis-à-vis a vessel operating on an international basis, laws of the sea, and legal agreements of the Republic of Cyprus with the Italian company. The pictures also show the Turkish frigate blocking the drilling rig while sailing along the course of SAIPEM, which was forced to manoeuvre to avoid collision.



Deputy Minister says no to hostels

Cyprus does not want hostels as the specific type of accommodation attracts tourism from the lower socio-economic classes and therefore is not in line with the country’s long-standing targets when it comes to attracting quality tourism, Deputy Minister of Tourism Savvas Perdios said in response to a question by DIKO MP Marinos Mousioupas. The MP wanted to know whether it was in the government’s plans to build hostels to encourage this type of tourism.



Thursday’s agenda at Responsible Gaming Awareness Week

The Responsible Gaming Awareness Week continues today Thursday 10 October, with a series of events and activities. The Week is organised for the second year in a row by the National Betting Authority and the Gaming and Casino Commission of Cyprus.



Cyprus will export pharmaceuticals to Egypt in 2020

Alithia reports that the Ministries of Cyprus and Egypt are very close to solving the procedural issues so as to allow Cyprus to export its pharmaceuticals to Egypt’s large market. Yesterday, the Egyptian delegation visited Cyprus’ two major pharmaceutical companies, Remedica and Medochemie, in Limassol. In his statements after the meeting with the director of Remedica, Director of the Pharmaceutical Services Louis Panayi said that they discussed all possible solutions “so we can overcome any obstacles caused by the strict procedures in Egypt and the strict European legislation”. Moreover, Remedica’s Managing Director Michael Neoptolemou expressed hope for a positive conclusion, as they have settled with local stakeholders in Egypt and are expecting the Egyptian authorities’ approval.

 

Lack of protocols for autopsies and addressing sexual violence

Forensic Pathologist Marios Matsakis reported on the lack of protocols and regulated procedures in performing post-mortem examinations, while Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou also reported the lack of protocol when assisting victims of sexual violence. Specifically, while speaking to Alpha, Dr. Matsakis commented on the recent death of a four-year-old girl and stated that an established protocol and standard procedure for carrying out post-mortem examinations is needed so it’s clear which cases require a post-mortem or not. Meanwhile, the Health Minister also identified a lack of protocol in the A&E departments on how to assist victims of sexual violence. He noted that a protocol is being prepared and is expected to be implemented in early 2020.



Refusing to take responsibility

Today’s meeting at the House Health Committee will focus on the GHS’ progress so far but more specifically, on the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) attempts to support state hospitals during a critical time marked by doctors fleeing the public sector. Meanwhile, the involved parties keep pointing fingers at each other, but never at themselves. George Karrotsakis, the General Director of Okypy Larnaca-Famagusta, stated that the HIO is to blame for doctors fleeing the public sector, and not Okypy, as they are the ones responsible for the doctors’ rewards. Mr. Karrotsakis urged the HIO to re-consider the incentives provided because it risks the sustainability of the GHS itself. On the other hand, Athos Tsinontides, the HIO’s Acting Director General, also said that it’s not their responsibility whether doctors continue to abandon the public sector, but as far as the finances are concerned, action is being taken to ensure that the system relies on strong financial foundations. Moreover, Pasyki’s Sotiris Koumas clarified that Pasyki will not be taking the responsibility for Okypy’s inaction and apathy. He also called om Okypy to realise that the state hospitals’ sustainability is now at risk. As soon as the new resignations at the A&E departments come into effect, state hospitals will paralyse.



The population is rapidly growing

According to data released by the so-called Minister of Internal Affairs of the occupied areas, there are 252,497 “citizens”, of which 117,291 have a residence permit. Ayşegül Baybars announced that after 23 October all residence permits will be completed digitally. She stated that “the government” is re-evaluating its policy on “citizenship” and permanent residence permits. The “government’s opposition parties” reacted negatively against the policy which grants citizenships, while data showed that the population growth rate is at 1.5%, above the EU average, Baybars said.