The Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEV) and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) on Tuesday condemned the indefinite strike by workers in the concrete industry.

The strike started on Tuesday, supported by trade unions Sek, Peo and Deok, is of indefinite duration and affects companies that are members of the Concrete Manufacturers Association.

OEV urged the unions to lift the strike measures and return to the negotiating table.

The federation claimed the failure to renew the collective agreement rests solely with the unions, “which had rejected two mediation proposals from the labour ministry aimed at significantly improving workers’ benefits”.

OEV added that, while these proposals exceeded the financial limits of companies in the sector, employers were prepared to make efforts to secure a mutually acceptable solution to maintain industrial peace.

Calling on the unions to withdraw the strike and resume negotiations, OEV warned that the ongoing action in the concrete sector “raises concerns over the potential ripple effects on businesses and employees in related sectors, which together make up the construction industry, a key pillar of the country’s economic growth and prosperity”.

“It is unacceptable for an entire industry, affecting tens of thousands of construction-related jobs, to be held hostage and for thousands of businesses in the sector to be paralysed,” Oev director general Michalis Antoniou said.

He added that the workers’ demands exceed what the sector can afford, adding that the strike disrupts the principle of proportionality by delivering a disproportionate blow to the industry.

Keve also claimed that responsibility for the strike lies with the unions, saying the labour ministry’s proposals would have improved wages and benefits for workers in the sector.

The head of labour relations at Keve also criticised the unions, accusing them of “leading the sector into turmoil in a unilateral and authoritarian manner.”

He added that employers accepted the ministry’s proposal and emphasised that the industry’s resources are limited.

Responding to Oev and Keve, Peo’s construction workers’ union secretary-general Michalis Papanicolaou explained that workers are seeking the renewal of the collective agreement, with demands including general wage increases and the reinstatement of overtime provisions.

“No resolution has been reached on these issues, leaving us at a deadlock declared by the mediation service,” Papanikolaou said.