Sek secretary general Andreas Matsas, on Friday described the government’s recent announcement on the universal application of the cost-of-living adjustment (CoLA) as a “publicity stunt,” saying it was not accompanied by any concrete proposals.

In comments to the Cyprus News Agency, Matsas questioned a recent statement by President Nikos Christodoulides that discussions on CoLA should begin, noting that talks have been ongoing for several months but have stalled.

He said the union would consider further action if necessary, adding that measures are not an end in themselves and will depend on available data and the government’s intentions.

Matsas noted that the recent government announcement merely expressed an intention to extend CoLA universally, without detailing specific plans or the method of implementation. He said the move appeared aimed at preventing further industrial action rather than providing a substantive solution.

The union leader highlighted that discussions had started months ago and were currently deadlocked.

He noted that the initial timeline for progress has lapsed by two and a half months, despite unions granting extensions to the labour ministry.

Matsas said repeated efforts to move the process forward have failed to achieve a positive outcome.

Matsas suggested that if the government genuinely intends universal application, it could do so through existing mechanisms. Options include incorporating CoLA into the minimum wage decree, extending collective agreements to cover all workers, or offering tax incentives to employers who implement CoLA.

He also commented on employer organisations’ concerns, noting that careful preparation and discussion are required rather than what he described as “amateurish publicity stunts” that created temporary impressions without long-term prospects.

The union has indicated it is ready to continue dialogue, but emphasised that talks cannot restart from scratch, given the months of previous engagement.