PEO: more than 188,000 salaried workers in Cyprus take home under €1,500
The union says pay gains from this year's collective bargaining are too modest for low-income households and wants a 38-hour week with no loss of earnings from 2027.
More than 188,000 salaried employees in Cyprus are paid less than €1,500 a month, according to PEO, which says the island's economic gains have not translated into relief for ordinary households. That share amounts to over a third of all people working for a wage, the union said on Tuesday.
The figures were reviewed at a general council meeting on Monday, where PEO assessed this year's bargaining round and fixed its goals for the talks due in 2027. So far 174 collective agreements covering 104,183 employees have been renewed, with average rises above 3 per cent plus the automatic cost-of-living adjustment.
Beyond pay, those deals brought shorter weeks in sectors where staff had worked over 38 hours, larger provident fund contributions and better parental and paternity leave. PEO calls the outcome encouraging but too small to lift the burden on the lowest-paid.
What it means for residents
For anyone renting or servicing a mortgage on an average salary, the gap between agreed raises and household bills is the practical issue, not the headline growth figures. The 2027 round will decide how far basic pay, working time and family leave move.
- Check your contract. If your sector has a renewed agreement, confirm that the 3 per cent-plus rise and any CoLA payment have actually reached your payslip.
- Watch the 38-hour demand. A shorter week without lost pay would change shift patterns and overtime in retail, services and other long-hours sectors.
- Plan for the minimum wage talks. PEO wants a larger minimum wage and an hourly-rate formula, which would affect starting pay and part-time work.
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