Former employees of KITION denounce gross injustice – What they want from the Government
Former employees of KITION complain of gross injustice.
Specifically, as they note in a statement written by 15 of the 87 former KITION Employees who, after the termination of the contract between the State and our former employer, we were transferred on May 28, 2024 to the Development Company of the Provinces of Larnaca – Famagusta (ANETEL) “for a transitional and temporary period, until decisions are made at a political level on the future of the development project in question”. This is included in the “Staff Employment Acceptance Statements” which were delivered to us by ANETEL.
“We must emphasize that the “Declaration of Acceptance of Staff Employment” was delivered to us on Friday, June 28, at noon, without any possibility of study or consultation. We were made to sign immediately, under the clear threat that in case of any delay or reservation we would not receive wages. This was the first time ANETEL contacted us.
Furthermore, it must be emphasized that both the relevant Ministers of Transport and Labour, during their visit to the port of Larnaca on June 3rd, expressly committed that personal meetings would be held with each of us, with a view to considering our continued employment after after this transitional period. However, these commitments were never kept. Consequently, cultivating expectations about not being fired prevented us from looking for another job.
On the contrary, despite the assurances of the ministers that our working future will be secured, we were suddenly notified of the termination of our employment by ANETEL on July 31, 2024, before any decision was made at a political level on the future of the development project in question. Later, according to our understanding, the Minister of Transport announced the start of works in the Larnaca marina immediately, while for the port he stated that decision-making is impossible at this stage. This left 15 of us, families with many financial obligations, looking for work in the middle of August, which is unthinkable.
So we wonder how the Government proceeded to dismiss us before the final political decisions on the project were even made. Especially when the announced projects in the Larnaca marina largely concern the scope of work of many of the dismissed.
Based on the above, we demand the immediate correction of this gross injustice and our fair inclusion in the announced projects, in which the majority of us have already contributed in the past. If employment for all of us is not possible, we are at least asking for the temporary employment of those who will not join the new projects for a reasonable period of time, or alternatively, fair compensation so that we have the opportunity to find new work. It is worth pointing out that several of the colleagues are low-paid, which makes the situation even more urgent and serious.
In our effort to find our justice, we had meetings with the Mayor and the Larnakos MPs as well as with other political figures, with the Speaker of the Parliament/President of the Democratic Alarm Ms. Anita Dimitriou. Everyone showed understanding to our request.
We expect the same response from the Ministry of Transport and the Government”.
