‘Decisive’ meeting on minimum wage on Friday

Newly appointed Labour Minister Kyriacos Koushos will meet social partners on Friday to discuss the expected introduction of a minimum wage.

Separate meetings with unions and employers on the issue started on Thursday morning and lasted until the same evening.

Significant disagreements remain between trade unions and employers’ organisations on both the level of the minimum wage but also its calculation, the Cyprus News Agency reported.

Friday’s meeting is expected to be ‘decisive’ CNA added, noting that there will be statements at the end of discussions.

On Monday, Koushos said the final proposal on the national minimum wage will be submitted this week. The minister explained he will make the decision, even if stakeholders cannot agree, as “according to the provisions of the legislation there is no need for Cabinet or House approval.”

The main disagreement between unions and employers’ organisations was over the method of determining a median salary, on which the minimum salary would be based.

The median wage calculated by the Cyprus Statistical Service is lower than the one calculated by EU-SILC cross-sectional and longitudinal sample survey, which the unions want the minimum wage to be based on. Employers’ organisations want the former.

President Nicos Anastasiades has recently clarified the minimum wage will be based on the statistical service’s calculations, which set the median wage at €1,573 with the percentage ranging from 50 to 60 per cent of the median wage.