Christodoulides meets SEK union, promises solutions

President-elect Nikos Christodoulides met with trade union SEK on Wednesday morning and said he was optimistic that pending labour issues will be resolved in March.

He said he was eager to “begin finding solutions”, even before he officially assumes office on March 1, adding that, after meeting with SEK, he will meet with other parties involved.

“We will have results, we will reach a conclusion on important labour issues,” he said.

His meeting with SEK sends two messages. The first is his recognition of the role SEK plays in maintaining labour peace and the second is that he means to keep his campaign promises.

“During our administration we will deliver on what we promised during our election campaign.”

The general secretary of SEK, Andreas Matsas, congratulated Christodoulides on his election, but he stressed that SEK, by maintaining its political and party independence, will be the first to give constructive criticism.

“SEK practises policy not on the basis of who governs but on the basis of how they govern,” he said.

Unions, employers and the government have been at loggerheads in recent months over union demands that the full cost of living allowance be reinstated to workers in the light of spiralling prices.