By Nikola Petros Kaparti
With unwavering in their position for the complete abolition of the ATA, the employers' organisations will come to today's meeting with the Minister of Labour, Kyriakos Kousios, as part of the consultations that have been taking place recently to reach a new agreement.
Following his meeting last Monday with the SEK, PEO and DEOK unions, Kyriakos Kousios will see the employers' organisations, KEBE and OEB, today in a last-ditch attempt to find fertile ground for a middle ground before deciding to invite the two sides to a joint meeting. Based on the data so far, however, it seems that the gap between the two sides remains with the labour minister expressing pessimism, despite the fact that the trade unions have slowly started to pour water on their wine and accept the prospect of a gradual return of the ATA to 100%.
As the Cyprus Times Times has been informed, the employers' organisations are also pessimistic, as they are not satisfied with what has emerged so far from the consultations and are strongly opposed to the trade unions' position of restoring the ATA to its full level.
A relevant source from the employers' organisations told the Cyprus Times that during their meeting with the minister today they will expect to be informed about what emerges from his contacts with the trade unions as well, given that "several times other things are said in consultations but in public statements".
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Employers' organizations also do not rule out the possibility that the minister may have received some indications that allow for progress in the talks. "Contrary to what we hear, we see no light at the end of the tunnel. Our position on the abolition of the ATA remains the same from the beginning," the same source said.
Mid-December joint meeting?
Beyond that, after the meeting with the employers' organisations, the Labour Minister is expected to take decisions on the next round of consultations and inform both sides. So far it is not known what Mr Kousios' intentions are, but both trade unions and employers' organisations expect the Minister to call a joint meeting.
Moreover, a source from the trade unions explained to the Cyprus Times that the process is regulated by the minister himself and it is up to him to evaluate the positions he heard from both sides. "If we remain on the basis and within the framework of the transitional agreement, there may be some arrangement for an agreement, if the employers' position of abolishing the ATA is maintained then a positive outcome is not expected," the same source indicated.
According to Cyprus[/B] Times, should the Labour Minister finally decide to hold a joint meeting, it is not expected to take place next week due to the fact that trade union representatives will be absent abroad as part of the social partners' meeting with the European Commission on the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism.
Therefore, any development in the consultations is expected to emerge in mid-December.
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