Department of Labour Relations


The Composition of the Employers' and Trade Union Organisations

The Government's policy in the area of industrial relations has been to foster and develop strong employers' and workers' organisations. This policy has been instrumental to the success of the voluntary nature of the industrial relations system, whilst at the same time employers and workers through their representatives have gained a high level of respect and flexibility for dealing with arising problems or crises.

Both employers' organisations, as well as the trade unions, are well established, with strong and effective organisational structures, and most have decades of experience in their respective fields.


Employers' Organisations

There are two employers' organisations in Cyprus. The ΟΕΒ (Employers and Industrialists Federation), and the CCCI (Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry). Both organisations have equal representation in the various tripartite bodies, like the Labour Advisory Board, the Economic Consultative Committee, the Social Security Committee, and others. They also offer extensive services to their members, and between them, they represent nearly the entirety of the business/entrepreneurial community of Cyprus, since all individual professional associations are affiliated with either the OEB or the CCCI, or in some cases with both. Individual enterprises can become direct members to either, or both, of these organisations, or they can be affiliated with them through their membership to their professional association, which in turn is a member of the employers' organisations.
The CCCI is a member of EUROCHAMBERS, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium - Sized Enterprises (UEAPME), etc.
The OEB is a member of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), the BUSINESS EUROPE and others.


Trade Unions

The main national, multisectoral workers' organisations are the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO), the Cyprus Workers Confederation (SEK), the Democratic Labour Federation of Cyprus (DEOK), and the Pancyprian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (POAS).
PEO is a member of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), SEK is a member of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), and the Greek General Confederation of Workers, whilst DEOK and POAS are members of the World Confederation of Labour (WCL).

Other independent sectoral workers’ organisations are the Pancyprian Union of Public Servants (PASYDY), the Pancyprian Organisation of Greek Teachers (POED), the Organisation of Greek Secondary Education Teachers (OELMEK) and the Union of Banking Employees of Cyprus (ETYK)