Drivers and staff of the Famagusta District Transportation Organization (OSEA) gathered once again today outside the Administrative Court to protest the agreement of the Ministry of Transport with another consortium on the issue of public transport in the province of Famagusta.
Protesters held banners reading slogans such as "We demand security for our work for the next 10 years", "We are not enslaved to anyone, we are being transferred to unknown foreign interests", "Get your hands off OSEA" and "Politicians: Run to Malta and Spain for votes ".
The employees of the Famagusta District Transportation Organization (OSEA) have been on strike since yesterday, however, carrying out the regular transportation of students to their schools in the province of Famagusta, as a sign of good will, as they had stated.
The work stoppage of the employees, as informed by KYPE, ends tomorrow when they will return to their normal work with the execution of all itineraries.
The protest of the employees outside the Administrative Court finally took place today instead of tomorrow Wednesday, as it was originally announced, due to the change of the day of hearing of the appeal of OSEA against the new Consortium.
The appeal was heard today and the Administrative Court reserved its decision at a later stage.
In addition, SEGDAMELIN - PEO and OMEPEGE - SEC have sent a joint letter today to the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Giannis Karousos, regarding the timely payment of salaries and benefits to employees of bus companies and their transfer to new companies.
In their letter, the unions request a meeting with the Minister of Transport and regulation of the specific issues as soon as possible, otherwise, as they note, after one month from today they will have no choice but to take dynamic measures.
As they report until today, they have been repeatedly given several assurances and promises regarding the above issues that in the end are not implemented.
"Because your Ministry normally covers its contractual obligations to companies, there should be such arrangements that will not leave employees exposed to passenger transport in relation to all the obligations that their employers have towards them. "Either they concern the timely payment of salaries, or gratuities, or the deductions made from their salaries for various Funds and other rights", they state.
Regarding the transfer of existing employees to new companies from 05/07/2020, the two unions point out that they will not accept the victimization of employees and await the implementation of their transfer along with their salaries and Collective Agreements.
They add that the duration of one year from the transfer, concerns the discussion and renewal of the Collective Agreement and does not imply in any case salary reductions and replacements of any employees, to add that in case of disputes with new or existing companies, the procedure should be followed of the Industrial Relations Code and no unilateral action will be accepted.