The delivery drivers in Cyprus shout: "I want to return home safe"

Food distributors working for digital platforms staged a protest outside the PEO trade union building in Nicosia on Monday, following a workplace accident last week that resulted in the death of a 26-year-old colleague, with workers calling for support and protection regarding their working conditions.

Representatives of the unions, PEO and SEK, referred to the need to speed up the process at the Ministry of Labor, for the conclusion of the collective agreement of this sector of workers.

A small number of distributors, who work for digital platforms, gathered outside the PEO building, holding placards that read, "No more blood on the asphalt," "We need protection, now," "Please support us," and "I want to go home safe".

The occasion was last Thursday's accident in Nicosia, where a 26-year-old distributor lost his life.

Neophytos Ttiminis, General Secretary of the hotel and leisure center employees' union (SYXKA) PEO said in his statements, that the colleagues of the 26-year-old, "wanting to show their sorrow and indignation, have informed the unions that today they would plan a event".

He noted that, from the first moment, and specifically from last December, with the big strike of food distributors, the unions are by their side.

Charalambos Augusti, General Secretary of the Oil Transport and Agriculture Federation (OMEPEGE) SEC, said that, being in a process at the Ministry of Labor, they discussed today together with the distributors' committee, "let's see how we can speed up this process for the assembly of the collective agreement and ensuring their rights and their safety and health during their working hours".

"We are here to support them and help them, everything in our power to make their working conditions humane," he added.

Mr. Ttiminis, for his part, said that they call on the Ministry of Labor "to speed up the process, to find the golden ratio and the solution to protect these people who are exposed every day out on the streets to earn a living ».

A representative of the distributors, Amin, said in his statements that they came today, all together, from all platforms, to ask for help and protection regarding the conditions that lead to accidents at work.

Union representatives said they have requested more information on the circumstances of Thursday's industrial accident, but also on the working conditions of the 26-year-old.