Giving the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA) to all private sector workers remains a red line for employers’ organisations Keve and OEV, they told Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou on Monday.

The statements came after an hour-long meeting, and mark the start of what Panayiotou said would be more contacts and following last week’s three-hour general strike demanding CoLA for all workers ended without any convergence of opinions.

Panayiotou reportedly intends to continue open dialogue with members of the employers’ organisations.

He is also scheduled to meet the trade unions on Tuesday in further efforts to find consensus on the issue based on the government’s four proposals previously presented to social partners.

Employers’ organisations have emphasised that their involvement is limited to the framework of their submitted proposals and firmly reject full implementation of the CoLA.

On Thursday, Cyprus was brought to a standstill as thousands of workers staged a nationwide strike peaking with a demonstration outside the finance ministry, where protestors chanted “Hands off CoLA” and “CoLA for all workers”.

The stoppage, from 11am to 2pm, disrupted flights, public services and transport, underlining the scale of the labour dispute.

The unions stressed that CoLA preserves workers’ purchasing power, supports living standards and consumption and helps enforce collective agreements.

Asked to comment on the industrial action, President Nikos Christodoulides said the right to strike is “absolutely respected” and dismissed accusations that the government is speaking with a “forked tongue” on the issue of CoLA.

Panayiotou had suggested CoLA is paid to all workers but on a different scale according to income.