Workers from the rubbish collection crews of Kokkinochoria will protest outside the interior ministry next Wednesday, it was reported on Monday.

Workers will express their “indignation and bitterness” over the local government reform, which will see most of them fired instead of being transferred to the new economic entity, as the legislation requires.

The demonstration, set to take place from 10am to 12pm, aims to hold the ministry accountable for implementing the legislation and honouring contractual obligations made to workers’ unions.

Under the reform, municipalities and communities in the Famagusta district have been restructured into two new municipalities, Ayia Napa and Paralimni-Dherynia. Previously, five garbage collection crews served the municipalities of Sotira and Dherynia, along with the communities of Liopetri, Avgorou, Acheritou, Vrysoulles and Frenaros.

These crews, comprising 22 employees, were part of a joint service. However, as of April 1, this service will be dissolved, and the collection areas will fall under the jurisdiction of the newly established municipalities. The legislation guarantees that workers should be transferred to the new entities with full rights, but many fear they will be left without jobs.

The Sedikek-Peo trade union has called on the interior minister to ensure the workers’ transfer to the municipality of Ayia Napa. The union argues that this is the only viable solution to avoid job losses.
“We will stand by the workers until their rights are upheld,” the union said in a statement. “We will not accept any of them being victimised.”

The union also pointed to a March 2020 agreement between trade unions and the then-Interior Minister, Nikos Nouris. This agreement, it says, promised job security for all employees affected by the reform. Additionally, the Preservation and Safeguarding of Workers’ Rights During Transfer Act 2000 provides further legal backing for their case.

The mayor of Paralimni has expressed willingness to absorb a portion of the affected workers into his municipality, recognising both his contractual obligations and the need for uninterrupted waste collection services.

However, the mayor and municipal council of Ayia Napa have refused to acknowledge any legal requirement to transfer the workers. This stance has heightened tensions and fuelled concerns over job losses.

As frustration grows, workers and their union are urging the ministry of interior to intervene. They argue that failure to act would not only violate past agreements but also create uncertainty for the region’s waste collection services.