Furore over ‘unjust’ pay cuts for prison guards 

A group of guards, who experienced salary reductions of up to €1,200 just before the Christmas season due to incomplete state examinations, asserts the deduction was “unlawful”.

Approximately 60 guards, members of the Isotita trade union, have sent a letter addressed to the justice minister and prison department through their lawyers, AlphaNews, who have seen the letter, reported on Thursday.

In the letter, the guards claimed the salary cuts, amounting from €500 to approximately €1,200, was a blatant violation of their rights, adding that they would be “forced to take or escalate legal and other measures” if the decision is not overturned.

The guards’ legal representatives also referred to a violation their clients rights, explaining that there is no provision for salary deductions through a circular in the regulations governing their employment.

This, their legal representatives explained that salary cuts could only be done “through Cabinet Regulations”, which would be approved by Parliament. In the present case, however, as they note, none of this has happened.

According to their lawyers, a letter of complaint on the matter is already being prepared, addressed to the Human Rights Commissioner Maria Stylianou Lottidou.

The guards had been informed through a circular by the department of public administration dating three years back of the requirement to pass the fiscal exam, the prison department had said on Wednesday. In the same circular, it mentioned that failure to do so would stop them from receiving salary increases based on the years of service.

Meanwhile, labour union Pasydy on Thursday expressed support towards prison guards who suffered ‘unjust’ salary cuts saying the decision is both “unjust and burdensome for their colleagues and [their] families.”

The union said that it submitted a written request to the finance ministry on Monday with a plea for salary restoration for the prison guards and to give them a two-year extension to pass the necessary examinations.

However, Pasydy’s position rests on the assertion that the union maintains the impacted prison guards were neither summoned nor informed by the employer to take part in the mentioned exams. Consequently, the union emphasizes that these guards are not accountable for any inaccuracies in their salary distributions.

Earlier, Isotita trade union responded by slamming the prison department that, as the union stated, falsely claimed on Wednesday the issue had been resolved.

“Although the department falsely claims that ‘the problem has been resolved’, the reality is that the blatantly illegal cuts have not been revoked,” Isotita said. It further explained that only arrangements have been made for the amount to be gradually cut off from the salaries of the affected, following strong opposition from colleagues and the union, the announcement said.

Isotita called on the justice minister to intervene immediately to stop this “blatant injustice”.

The permanent prison guards were required by their service plans to pass the Fiscal and Interdepartmental examinations. A number of them have sat these examinations. In total 69 staff had applied for the Fiscal Examination that was held on Wednesday, the prison department has said.

The auditor general’s office has identified one worker who had not completed the examinations in May 2023, while a thorough audit identified 57 affected personnel.

According to the prison department, the results were communicated to the prison guards along with a call to sit the specific examinations. Furthermore, a list of the affected persons was prepared and submitted by the prisons department to the justice ministry.

Meanwhile, another group of public workers have complained over their salaries, threatening with strike measures.

Low paid civil servants initiative group has called on the finance ministry to immediately carry out the necessary procedures regarding the October 31 agreement on the improvement of their salaries. Otherwise, it warned they will proceed with a strike.

In a statement, the initiative group expresses its “deep disappointment at the lack of transparency on the part of the ministry of finance” and noted it looks forward to its positive response. The group added that the delay in publishing the exact terms of the agreement reached “is creating anxiety, uncertainty and dissatisfaction for employees who are waiting for a fair pay adjustment.”

The group gave the ministry a deadline until November 29 to publish the specific terms of the agreement, before they proceed with strike action.