The Labour ministry on Monday criticised an impromptu work stoppage by employees at the DP World Limassol, which manages the general cargo and cruise terminals at Limassol port, saying workers violated the industrial relations code.

The group of protestors walked off the job and gathered outside the terminal area early on Monday to protest issues related to their collective agreement. The strike, which is affecting three cargo ships, will continue until employees’ demands are met, said a trade union representative.

According to the general secretary of trade union Sek, Yiannis Tsouris, the Limassol-based company failed to observe the terms of the first collective agreement and proceeded to make changes without consulting the employees.

“Now that the time has come to sign [the agreement] the company has made some additions and subtractions within the text of the agreement, resulting in the [employees’] reaction,” Tsouris told the Cyprus News Agency.

The trade unions carried out consultations with the company as of Friday in an attempt to resolve the issue but without any results, he explained.

“We will continue the work stoppage indefinitely if the collective agreement is not signed as agreed with the company, in the presence of OEB [Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation].”

The strike has so far affected the operation of three general cargo ships of the multi-purpose port and cruise terminals.

In a statement issued later in the day, the labour relations department said there is an ongoing negotiation in the labour dispute and the strike measures were taken “outside the defined procedures of the industrial relations code”.

The department called on the trade union to respect the code, “lift any measures and proceed to a dialogue to resolve the dispute”.