Employment in Crisis Cyprus 2010–2013
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Abstract
This article discusses the conditions that prevail in the Cyprus1 labour market after the onset of the economic crisis. The analysis takes the form of a chronological narrative on the development of the crisis, its impact on employment relations and the attempts of the political elite to manage it through austerity measures. The article argues that the recession and the rising unemployment accelerated and exacerbated already existing tendencies of labour market deregulation and trade union marginalisation while in the context of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Troika and its aftermath, historical work rights and benefits as well as living standards were eroded, extending the condition of ‘precarity’ to broader sections of the Cyprus labour force. It is primarily a descriptive account which reports the recent developments in an attempt to map out the changes in the field of employment, situate them in their historical context and preliminarily assess their significance.
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Keywords
crisis, employment relations, Cyprus labour market, Troika
References
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Carby-Hall, J.R. (2008) The Treatment of Polish and Other A8 Economic Migrants in the European
Union. Warszawa: Bureau of the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection.
Charalambous, G. and Ioannou, G. (forthcoming) ‘No Bridge over Troubled Waters: The Cypriot Left Heading the Government 2008–2013’, Capital and Class [accepted 23 January 2014].
EU Commission (2007) Towards Common Principles of Flexicurity: More and Better Jobs through Flexibility and Security.
Faustmann, H. (2010) ‘Rusfeti and Political Patronage in the Republic of Cyprus’, The Cyprus Review, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Fall), pp. 269–289.
Frassanito Network (2005) ‘Precarious, Precariazation, Precariat?’ Available at: [http://precariousunderstanding.blogsome.com/2007/01/05precarious-precarization-precariat/], accessed on 8 February 2014.
Ikypros.com (2013) ‘Απεργία παραλύει το Σίγμα’ [Strike Paralyses Sigma] 22 May 2013. Available at: [http://www.ikypros.com/easyconsole.cfm/id/70571], accessed on 5 February 2014.
INEK–PEO (2013) ‘Εκθεση για την οικονομία και την απασχόληση [Report for the Economy and Employment, 2013]. Available at: [http://www.inek.org.cy/index.php], accessed on 5 February 2014.
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) (2010) Report on Cyprus, Independent Network of Labour Migration and Integration Experts, LMIE–INET.
Ioakimoglou, I. and Soumeli, E. (2008) Οι Μισθοί στην Κύπρο: Προσδιοριστικοί Παράγοντες και Μισθολογικές Ανισότητες [Wages in Cyprus: Determining Factors and Wage Inequalities]. Λευκωσία [Nicosia]: ΙΝΕΚ: ΠΕΟ.
Ioannou, G. (2011) Labour Relations in Cyprus: Employment, Trade Unionism and Class Composition. PhD Thesis, University of Warwick. Available at: [http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/47187/].
Ioannou, G. (forthcoming) ‘The Connection between Trade Unions and Political Parties in Cyprus’, in Charalambous, G. and Christophorou, C. (eds), Party-Society Relations in the Republic of Cyprus. London: Routledge.
Jessop, B. (2013) ‘Putting Neoliberalism in its Time and Place: A Response to the Debate’, Social Anthropology, Vol. 21, No. 1 pp. 65–74.
Kouzis, Y. (2001) Εργασιακές Σχέσεις και Ευρωπαϊκή Ενοποίση [Labour Relations and European Integration]. Αθήνα [Athens]: ΙΝΕ.
Lambraki, A. (2013) ‘Επιδότηση της απασχόληση κι όχι της ανεργίας’ [Subsidising Employment and Not Unemployment] Phileleftheros, 15 September 2013. Available at: [http://www.phile news.com/elgr/oikonomia-kypros/146/161923/epidotisi-tis-apascholisi-ki-ochi-tis-anergias], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Meardi, G. (2014) ‘Employment Relations under External Pressure: Italian and Spanish Reforms during the Great Recession’, in Hauptmeier, M. and Vidal, M. (eds), The Comparative Political Economy of Work and Employment Relations. London: Palgrave.
Messios, O. and Soumeli, E. (2011) [2010] Government’s Final Proposal on Modernising Industrial Relations, European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO). Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2010/11/articles/cy1011019i.htm], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Panayiotou, A. (2013) Οι Τράπεζες τα ΜΜΕ και οι Προσπάθειες Συγκάλυψης, Μεταόπισης και Λογοκρισίας των Σκανδάλων [The Banks, the Mass Media and the Attempts at Covering, Silencing and Censoring the Scandals]. Available at: [http://koinonioloyika.blogspot.com/2013/01/blog-post_23.html], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) (2008) ‘Εκθεση Δράσης 25ου Συνεδρίου [Action Report 25th Conference].
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) (2011) Τι περιλαμβάνει το Γ’ πακέτο [What is Included in the 3rd Package] Note, December 2011.
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) (2012) ‘Δήλωση 18 Μαϊου 2012’ [Statement 18 May 2012]. Available at [http://paratiritirioergasias.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post_20.html], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) 2012) ‘Εκθεση Δράσης 26ου Συνεδρίου [Action Report 26th Conference].
Pegasiou A. (2013) ‘The Cypriot Economic Collapse: More Than a Conventional South European Failure’, Mediterranean Politics, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 333–351.
Persianis, M. (2011) ‘Η αδήλωτη εργασία και πάλι στο προσκήνιο’ [Undeclared Work Again in the Forefront], Kathimerini, 20 February 2011.
Phileleftheros (2013) ‘Διαωάστε τα νέα μέτρα υια αντιμετώπιση της ανεργίας’ [Read the New Measures on Countering Unemployment], 11 December 2013. Available at: [http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/oikonomia-kypros/146/175643/diavaste-ta-nea-metra-gia-antimetopisi-tis-anergias], accessed on 6 February 2014.
Phileleftheros (2013) ‘Μέχρι και 30% οι μειώσεις μισθών στην Τράπεζα Κύπρου’ [Up to 30% Wage Cuts in the Bank of Cyprus], 18 June 2013. Available at: http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/oikonomia-kypros/146/150072/mechri-kai-30-oi-meioseis-misthon-stin-trapeza-kyprou#sthash.fwwm6484.dpuf], accessed on 6 February 2014.
Schierup, C-U. (2007) [2006] ‘Bloody Subcontracting in the Network Society: Migration and Post Fordist Restructuring across the European Union’, in Berggren, E., Likic-Brboric, B., Toksoz, G. and Trimikliniotis, N. (eds), Irregular Migration, Informal Labour and Community: A Challenge for Europe. Maastricht: Shaker Publishing.
Seitanides, Y. (2014) ‘Ρήξη ΕΤΥΚ με την Συνεργατική Κεντρική Τράπεζα’ [Clash of ETYK with the Cooperative Central Bank], Kathimerini, 28 January 2014. Available at: [http://www.kathimerini.com.cy/index.php?pageaction=kat&modid=1&artid=160902], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2008) ‘Framework Agreement Reached in the Semi-state Sector’, EIRO. Available at:[http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2008/04/articles/cy0804019i.htm], accessed on 7 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2013a) ‘Construction Unions Step Up Industrial Action’, EIRO. Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2012/11/articles/cy1211039i.htm], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2013b) ‘New Collective Agreement for Construction Industry’, EIRO Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2013/04/articles/cy1304019i.htm], accessed on 8 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2013c) ‘New Hotel Industry Agreement 2013–2015’, EIRO. Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2013/06/articles/cy1306019i.htm], accessed on 8 February 2014.
Standing, G. (1999) Global Labour Flexibility: Seeking Distributive Justice. London: Macmillan Press.
Standing, G. (2011) Precariat: The New Dangerous Class. London/New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
Stefanou, C. (2011) ‘The Banking System in Cyprus: Time to Rethink the Business Model?’, Cyprus Economic Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 123–130.
Trimikliniotis, N. (2004) Ανεργία, Υποαπασχόληση και Ετεροαπασχόληση: Μια ‘Ερευνα υια την Εργασιακή Αβεβαιότητα και Αναφάλεια των Νέων στην Κύπρο [Unemployment, Underemployment and Irregular Employment: A Research on Labour Uncertainty and Insecurity of the Youth in Cyprus]. Λευκωσία [Nicosia]: ΙΝΕΚ-ΠΕΟ.
Trimikliniotis, N. and Demetriou, C. (2011) ‘Labour Integration of Migrant Workers in Cyprus: A Critical Appraisal’, in Pajnic, M. and Campani, G. (eds), Precarious Migrant Labour across Europe. Ljubljana: MIROVNI INSTITUT.
Wills, J. (2009) ‘Subcontracted Employment and its Challenge to Labor’, Labor Studies Journal, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 441–460.
Xenofontos, A. (2013) ‘Συνέτευξη με τον Ηλία Ιωακείμογλου’ [Interview with Ilias Ioakimoglou],Charavgi, 23 December 2013.
Yiannakou, D. (2014) ‘Μειώσεις μισθών ύψους €16,5 εκατ. Στο Συνεργατισμό’ [Wage Cuts of €16.5 million in Cooperative Societies], Phileleftheros, 18 January 2014. Available at: [http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/oikonomia-kypros/146/180809/meioseis-misthon-ypsous-165-ekat-sto-synergatismo], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Interviews
PEO General Organisational Secretary, Christos Tombazos, 27 November 2013.
SEK General Organisational Secretary, Panikos Argirides, 29 January 2014.
Carby-Hall, J.R. (2008) The Treatment of Polish and Other A8 Economic Migrants in the European
Union. Warszawa: Bureau of the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection.
Charalambous, G. and Ioannou, G. (forthcoming) ‘No Bridge over Troubled Waters: The Cypriot Left Heading the Government 2008–2013’, Capital and Class [accepted 23 January 2014].
EU Commission (2007) Towards Common Principles of Flexicurity: More and Better Jobs through Flexibility and Security.
Faustmann, H. (2010) ‘Rusfeti and Political Patronage in the Republic of Cyprus’, The Cyprus Review, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Fall), pp. 269–289.
Frassanito Network (2005) ‘Precarious, Precariazation, Precariat?’ Available at: [http://precariousunderstanding.blogsome.com/2007/01/05precarious-precarization-precariat/], accessed on 8 February 2014.
Ikypros.com (2013) ‘Απεργία παραλύει το Σίγμα’ [Strike Paralyses Sigma] 22 May 2013. Available at: [http://www.ikypros.com/easyconsole.cfm/id/70571], accessed on 5 February 2014.
INEK–PEO (2013) ‘Εκθεση για την οικονομία και την απασχόληση [Report for the Economy and Employment, 2013]. Available at: [http://www.inek.org.cy/index.php], accessed on 5 February 2014.
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) (2010) Report on Cyprus, Independent Network of Labour Migration and Integration Experts, LMIE–INET.
Ioakimoglou, I. and Soumeli, E. (2008) Οι Μισθοί στην Κύπρο: Προσδιοριστικοί Παράγοντες και Μισθολογικές Ανισότητες [Wages in Cyprus: Determining Factors and Wage Inequalities]. Λευκωσία [Nicosia]: ΙΝΕΚ: ΠΕΟ.
Ioannou, G. (2011) Labour Relations in Cyprus: Employment, Trade Unionism and Class Composition. PhD Thesis, University of Warwick. Available at: [http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/47187/].
Ioannou, G. (forthcoming) ‘The Connection between Trade Unions and Political Parties in Cyprus’, in Charalambous, G. and Christophorou, C. (eds), Party-Society Relations in the Republic of Cyprus. London: Routledge.
Jessop, B. (2013) ‘Putting Neoliberalism in its Time and Place: A Response to the Debate’, Social Anthropology, Vol. 21, No. 1 pp. 65–74.
Kouzis, Y. (2001) Εργασιακές Σχέσεις και Ευρωπαϊκή Ενοποίση [Labour Relations and European Integration]. Αθήνα [Athens]: ΙΝΕ.
Lambraki, A. (2013) ‘Επιδότηση της απασχόληση κι όχι της ανεργίας’ [Subsidising Employment and Not Unemployment] Phileleftheros, 15 September 2013. Available at: [http://www.phile news.com/elgr/oikonomia-kypros/146/161923/epidotisi-tis-apascholisi-ki-ochi-tis-anergias], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Meardi, G. (2014) ‘Employment Relations under External Pressure: Italian and Spanish Reforms during the Great Recession’, in Hauptmeier, M. and Vidal, M. (eds), The Comparative Political Economy of Work and Employment Relations. London: Palgrave.
Messios, O. and Soumeli, E. (2011) [2010] Government’s Final Proposal on Modernising Industrial Relations, European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO). Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2010/11/articles/cy1011019i.htm], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Panayiotou, A. (2013) Οι Τράπεζες τα ΜΜΕ και οι Προσπάθειες Συγκάλυψης, Μεταόπισης και Λογοκρισίας των Σκανδάλων [The Banks, the Mass Media and the Attempts at Covering, Silencing and Censoring the Scandals]. Available at: [http://koinonioloyika.blogspot.com/2013/01/blog-post_23.html], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) (2008) ‘Εκθεση Δράσης 25ου Συνεδρίου [Action Report 25th Conference].
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) (2011) Τι περιλαμβάνει το Γ’ πακέτο [What is Included in the 3rd Package] Note, December 2011.
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) (2012) ‘Δήλωση 18 Μαϊου 2012’ [Statement 18 May 2012]. Available at [http://paratiritirioergasias.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post_20.html], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) 2012) ‘Εκθεση Δράσης 26ου Συνεδρίου [Action Report 26th Conference].
Pegasiou A. (2013) ‘The Cypriot Economic Collapse: More Than a Conventional South European Failure’, Mediterranean Politics, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 333–351.
Persianis, M. (2011) ‘Η αδήλωτη εργασία και πάλι στο προσκήνιο’ [Undeclared Work Again in the Forefront], Kathimerini, 20 February 2011.
Phileleftheros (2013) ‘Διαωάστε τα νέα μέτρα υια αντιμετώπιση της ανεργίας’ [Read the New Measures on Countering Unemployment], 11 December 2013. Available at: [http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/oikonomia-kypros/146/175643/diavaste-ta-nea-metra-gia-antimetopisi-tis-anergias], accessed on 6 February 2014.
Phileleftheros (2013) ‘Μέχρι και 30% οι μειώσεις μισθών στην Τράπεζα Κύπρου’ [Up to 30% Wage Cuts in the Bank of Cyprus], 18 June 2013. Available at: http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/oikonomia-kypros/146/150072/mechri-kai-30-oi-meioseis-misthon-stin-trapeza-kyprou#sthash.fwwm6484.dpuf], accessed on 6 February 2014.
Schierup, C-U. (2007) [2006] ‘Bloody Subcontracting in the Network Society: Migration and Post Fordist Restructuring across the European Union’, in Berggren, E., Likic-Brboric, B., Toksoz, G. and Trimikliniotis, N. (eds), Irregular Migration, Informal Labour and Community: A Challenge for Europe. Maastricht: Shaker Publishing.
Seitanides, Y. (2014) ‘Ρήξη ΕΤΥΚ με την Συνεργατική Κεντρική Τράπεζα’ [Clash of ETYK with the Cooperative Central Bank], Kathimerini, 28 January 2014. Available at: [http://www.kathimerini.com.cy/index.php?pageaction=kat&modid=1&artid=160902], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2008) ‘Framework Agreement Reached in the Semi-state Sector’, EIRO. Available at:[http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2008/04/articles/cy0804019i.htm], accessed on 7 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2013a) ‘Construction Unions Step Up Industrial Action’, EIRO. Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2012/11/articles/cy1211039i.htm], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2013b) ‘New Collective Agreement for Construction Industry’, EIRO Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2013/04/articles/cy1304019i.htm], accessed on 8 February 2014.
Soumeli, E. (2013c) ‘New Hotel Industry Agreement 2013–2015’, EIRO. Available at: [http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2013/06/articles/cy1306019i.htm], accessed on 8 February 2014.
Standing, G. (1999) Global Labour Flexibility: Seeking Distributive Justice. London: Macmillan Press.
Standing, G. (2011) Precariat: The New Dangerous Class. London/New York: Bloomsbury Academic.
Stefanou, C. (2011) ‘The Banking System in Cyprus: Time to Rethink the Business Model?’, Cyprus Economic Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 123–130.
Trimikliniotis, N. (2004) Ανεργία, Υποαπασχόληση και Ετεροαπασχόληση: Μια ‘Ερευνα υια την Εργασιακή Αβεβαιότητα και Αναφάλεια των Νέων στην Κύπρο [Unemployment, Underemployment and Irregular Employment: A Research on Labour Uncertainty and Insecurity of the Youth in Cyprus]. Λευκωσία [Nicosia]: ΙΝΕΚ-ΠΕΟ.
Trimikliniotis, N. and Demetriou, C. (2011) ‘Labour Integration of Migrant Workers in Cyprus: A Critical Appraisal’, in Pajnic, M. and Campani, G. (eds), Precarious Migrant Labour across Europe. Ljubljana: MIROVNI INSTITUT.
Wills, J. (2009) ‘Subcontracted Employment and its Challenge to Labor’, Labor Studies Journal, Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 441–460.
Xenofontos, A. (2013) ‘Συνέτευξη με τον Ηλία Ιωακείμογλου’ [Interview with Ilias Ioakimoglou],Charavgi, 23 December 2013.
Yiannakou, D. (2014) ‘Μειώσεις μισθών ύψους €16,5 εκατ. Στο Συνεργατισμό’ [Wage Cuts of €16.5 million in Cooperative Societies], Phileleftheros, 18 January 2014. Available at: [http://www.philenews.com/el-gr/oikonomia-kypros/146/180809/meioseis-misthon-ypsous-165-ekat-sto-synergatismo], accessed on 5 February 2014.
Interviews
PEO General Organisational Secretary, Christos Tombazos, 27 November 2013.
SEK General Organisational Secretary, Panikos Argirides, 29 January 2014.
Section
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How to Cite
“Employment in Crisis: Cyprus 2010–2013”. 2017. Cyprus Review 26 (1): 107-26. https://cyprusreview.org/index.php/cr/article/view/79.