Trade unions have detected a shift in the government’s position on pay increases for hourly paid state workers following a meeting with Finance Minister Makis Keravnos on Friday, although they said the proposal currently on the table remains insufficient.

Sek union Oekdy general secretary Giorgos Constantinou told the Cyprus News Agency that the government now appeared willing to grant increases.

“There is an intention to give increases, but we have not agreed on anything at present,” he said.

He pointed to a meeting scheduled with President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday, saying unions hoped an agreement could be reached that would improve wages.

“The dialogue remains open until Monday and we hope there will be a conclusion on Monday,” Constantinou said.

Peo union Pasyek general secretary Stavros Andreou also said there had been a change in the government’s position.

“The basic need to improve wages, which until now had not been recognised, is being recognised,” he said.

During Friday’s meeting with Keravnos, the government presented its first proposal containing improvements both to the wages of existing employees and starting salaries for future workers.

“This is important and we acknowledge it,” Andreou said, adding, however, that “the proposal is not satisfactory” and remains far from what unions have set as the minimum required for an agreement.

Without giving details of the government proposal, Andreou said unions are seeking general wage increases of 8 per cent over three years.

“What is being offered is very far from what we are asking for. It does not even approach 50 per cent,” he said.

The government proposal also varies depending on when the increases would begin, he added.

Andreou nevertheless described the formal recognition of the need to improve wages as significant.

The proposal presented on Friday “is not one with which we can reach an agreement”, he said. “However, it is a proposal that leaves room open for dialogue with the government and the President of the Republic.”

He said an agreement could potentially be reached if further progress was made during Monday’s meeting with Christodoulides.

“But if things remain as they are, we will not reach an agreement,” he said, arguing that the current proposal neither meets workers’ needs nor creates the conditions for adequate wages.

“We want an agreement that will mark the beginning of improving wages for hourly-paid government staff and make them fair, adequate and decent,” Andreou said.

“We do not believe that this proposal achieves that objective, and the government needs to revise it upwards.”

The Oekdy-Sek, Pasyek-Peo and Deok unions are scheduled to meet Christodoulides at 11am on Monday, September 28.