The class-based trade union federation of PEO and Turkish Cypriot Trade Unions reiterated their commitment to joint action
PEO meetings with Turkish Cypriot Trade Unions affiliated members of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
A delegation of the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO), headed by its General Secretary Sotiroula Charalambous, held separate meetings on 27th December in occupied Nicosia with the leaderships of the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union Organizations affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions, DEV-IS, KTOS, KTOEOS, KTAMS, KOOP-SEN, BES and DAU-SEN on the occasion of the New Year, as well as the election of the new leadership of PEO. The PEO delegation also included the former General Secretary of PEO Pambis Kyritsis whom the Turkish Cypriot trade unionists thanked for his contribution towards strengthening the cooperation and relations between the Organizations.
During the meetings held, the delegation of PEO and the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union Organizations reaffirmed their commitment to their joint action aiming at the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a Bi-zonal, Bicommunal Federation.
The Heads of the Turkish Cypriot Organizations congratulated Sotiroulla Charalambous on her election as the new General Secretary of PEO and expressed their commitment to continue their joint actions with PEO for realizing the objective of achieving a federal solution.
As the General Secretary of PEO S.Charalambous stated, during the meetings, PEO expressed its solidarity with the struggle being waged by the Turkish Cypriot Trade Unions against austerity, poverty, price hikes and for the preservation of the Turkish Cypriot community’s identity.
“With DEV-IS”, S. Charalambous noted, ”we have forged a solid cooperation and programme of joint actions. We will continue our actions to support Turkish Cypriots looking for work within the framework of the cooperation between our two Trade Unions.”
Furthermore, the General Secretary of PEO also noted that according to the briefing the delegation of PEO had received, the situation of working people in the occupied territories is very difficult, while strike actions are underway “in local authorities and work stoppages are being planned in the coming days. The value of the Turkish Lira is annihilating the incomes of the Turkish Cypriots and at the same time Turkey’s attempt to assimilate the Turkish Cypriot community is constant, which these progressive trade union organisations are resisting and consider to be a regression and a negative development.”
S.Charalambous went on to add that concern was also expressed about the prevailing situation on the Cyprus problem as there is a common perception that without its solution working people’s problems in Cyprus, both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, cannot be effectively addressed.
In the New Year, the customary annual meeting between PEO and DEV-IS will take place, during which, apart from outlining their steadfast joint actions, the two Trade Union Organisations will also elaborate and decide new ones, according to the specific prevailing conditions and needs.
