Union says plan will see plunder of the EAC

One of the trade unions representing workers at the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) alleged on Tuesday there are plans afoot to privatise and “plunder” the organisation, to the detriment of consumers.

In a statement, the Astepaik syndicate – the independent trade union of technical and labour personnel – spoke of a recent meeting held with the energy minister and the EAC board. There, they said, the minister “admitted to the need to immediately find solutions to matters concerning the viability of the organisation [the EAC], as well as implement solutions bringing about a drastic drop in the kilowatt-hour rate.”

The union claimed that over the past 20 years “there has been an intensification of the policy of plunder by the political establishment and successive governments whose aim is to appropriate public wealth.”

The ‘public wealth’ alluded to the assets of the EAC as a public organisation.

They added: “For a decade now, semi-governmental organisations like the EAC have been lined up for privatisation, to serve the interests of third parties, disregarding the high rate of electricity which directly impacts each and every consumer.

“In carrying out this policy of plunder of public wealth, they have created the necessary preconditions for it, such as the operational and accounting separation of the EAC, the objective being to keep electricity and fuel rates rate high, as well as stagnancy on the upgrading of the Dhekelia power station.”

The union spoke of a deliberate attempt to delay projects planned by the EAC, “frustration on the part of consumers over the high cost of electricity, no progress whatsoever in staffing the organisation at frontline departments or departments dealing directly with customer service.”

They also complained about the EAC being smothered – hindered from breaking out into the field of renewables. Meanwhile, personnel have been assigned duties different to their training, and the workload has increased for many members of staff.

Other gripes voiced by the union included the lack of incentives for early retirement – particularly for staff who carry out difficult physical work – and low wages for a segment of the EAC staff.

Back in December, the union had threatened potential strikes, citing the same issues.