The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Giannis Karousos, who is acting Minister of Labour, said that he cancelled a scheduled meeting with ETYK due to the decision of the bank employees' guild for a warning strike at the Hellenic Bank next Tuesday.
In a statement to the Cyprus News Agency, Mr. Karousos criticized the ETYK for taking a decision at this time when there was an arranged meeting with him, but also for the fact that the guild showed no respect for the state of health of Labor Minister, Zeta Emiliniadiou, who was handling the whole matter.
Karousos said that he arranged meetings with both ETYK and the management of the Hellenic Bank in order to be informed about the dispute between the two parties and to consider ways to proceed with the mediation.
"However, ETYK decided to go on strike on Tuesday," Mr. Karousos, adding that it was "neither the day nor the time" to make such a decision due to the difficult health situation of the Labour Minister who was handling the issue.
"They did not even have to meet on this issue when a meeting with me had been arranged. Instead of coming to the meeting they decided to go on strike. Therefore, no meeting can be held if there is a decision to go on strike," he added.
Asked if the ETUC should have second thoughts, the Transport Minister said this was a matter for the ETUC. "But, on the one hand, we have to show respect for the difficult situation that the Labour Minister is in and on the other hand, there was a scheduled meeting with me," he added.
"Since there is a decision to strike, the meeting cannot take place because of the firm principle that there are no mediations under the measures," he said."
Asked about this, Karousos said the meeting with Hellenic will take place as planned."
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
