Pampis Kyritsis's contribution to the trade union events was praised by an event that took place on Monday night in the PEO event hall in Nicosia, in the presence of the Minister of Labor Zeta Aimilianidou, the heads of trade unions and other employers' organizations invited.
In her speech, the Secretary General of PEO Sotiroula Charalambous said that speaking today about the important moments of Pampis Kyritsis of PEO, we are talking about a large part of our history, a part of 23 years characterized by significant developments in labor and social issues of our place .
He stated that Pampis Kyritsis took over as General Secretary of PEO in 1999 at a time when there was a strong need to confirm the character and position of PEO as a pioneering class-oriented organization of the workers of Cyprus.
< p>This need, he noted, stemmed on the one hand from the historical events that had preceded the collapse of the socialist countries, which brought frustration among the workers and raised doubts about the project and the prospect of another path, another society. At the same time we are entering the new millennium with significant social and technological changes, with the economy changing, with labor changing.
“He worked with a lot of patience and method, consolidating collectivity, ideological and political cohesion within the PEO, a key element for the effectiveness of our organization,” he added.
With the same clarity of approach and orientation under the guidance of Pampis Kyritsis, he said, PEO clarified its position and orientation in terms of the international labor movement, depositing significant forces and work in the maintenance and development of the World Trade Union Federation as the world pole of the progressive class unions.
Pabis Kyritsis's contribution to another aspect, in the PEO's relations with the Turkish Cypriot workers, the progressive Turkish Cypriot organizations, is very great. p>
“In the 23 years that my colleague Pampis was at the helm of PEO, the workers' movement was faced with great challenges. At a time when the balance of power is changing at the expense of labor, a period of neoliberalism prevailing, an attack on regulated labor relations, a period of targeted efforts to undermine and devalue the role of organization and trade unionism, the dangers facing the PEO and its leadership it was not easy at all “, he added.
In his speech, the Secretary General of the World Trade Union Federation, George Mavrikios, said that by studying the struggle path of Pampis Kyritsis, every well-meaning scholar realizes that the goals for strengthening the class path of the PEO, the goal for the reconstruction of the result because they were ambitious goals of collective action.
He stated that Pampis Kyritsis is a militant personality with class characteristics and militant orientation, he is a modern internationalist in the struggle of all peoples against imperialist barbarism, he has the ability to unite workers in the struggle for a fairer world without capitalist exploitation, he was and is Strongly committed to the united struggle of Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots for their common interests and the just solution of the Cyprus problem, strengthening the joint action of the PEO with the Turkish Cypriot unions.
Mr. Mauritius also mentioned that an important chapter that Pampis Kyritsis has a lot to give is in the international trade union scene and so at the upcoming World Trade Union Congress that is scheduled to take place in Italy on May 6-7 and 8 this year, he will represent PEO taking on critical responsibilities towards the international class trade union movement and the demands of the times.
In his speech, DEV-İŞ President Koral Aşam said that one of those who have contributed to the struggle of the workers and the PEO as Its General Secretary for the last 23 years is his partner Pampis Kyritsis.
“Having in mind the future of the working class in a united Cyprus, under a federal roof, he is one of the ardent fighters for peace in Cyprus. In whatever position he served the working class, he was and remains one of the leaders in the struggle for peace, always supporting the common struggle and joint action with the Turkish Cypriots. “For this reason, the already existing DEV-D-PEO relations have been further strengthened at a rapid pace,” he noted.
For example, he continued, the common May Day celebrations that had ended in 1958 due to the threats and murders of chauvinist elements began to be celebrated together in the dead zone for the first time in 56 years, with the PEO-DEV-πρωτο initiative in 2014 and since then this celebration has become an institution. “The celebration of September 1, World Peace Day, can also be added to this initiative,” he said.
In his rebuttal, the former Secretary General of PEO Pampis Kyritsis said that everything that the Trade Union Movement has achieved in these 23 years is recorded and evaluated in the Action Reports of one extraordinary and six regular, Pancyprian Conferences.
“But I consider it worthy reference to the fact that our struggles over the years were not limited to improving wages and other benefits covered by our Collective Agreements. We worked hard for what we call quality of life. “And we have had conquests throughout the life of the workers,” he noted.
“What has been won,” he continued, “is no doubt the result of fruitful, persistent and militant collective action.” “If it is something that is deeply ingrained in my consciousness and I have seen it confirmed countless times in practice, it is the fact that only collectively and organized the impossible becomes possible, the desirable becomes possible and the good is removed from the best,” he added.
In a period of reversal of correlations and domination of extreme neoliberal perceptions that degrade and shrink the role of collective bargaining, said Mr. Kyritsis, defending the tripartite consultation and collective agreements as well as democratic participation in our decisions is emerging as one of the top priorities for the workers' movement.
“I have always considered it important that PEO stands out with its position and not with its opposition. To unite and not to split, without of course in any case giving in to issues of principle. This was the example that I also sought to set, as the General Secretary of PEO, with my own personal behavior “, he noted.
He said that in the years when he was Secretary General. PEO has developed a massive, militant movement of rapprochement and joint action, based on the internationalist and revolutionary values of the working class and unites Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot workers around the patriotic goal of peace and the reunification of our common. A movement, he noted, in which I think my own personal position is visible.
Mr. Kyritsis stated that “when after five consecutive terms I considered it right to step aside to contribute to the process of renewal of persons, ideas and practices, thus facilitating the natural flow of things, does not in any way mean that I chose demobilization. I am and will remain active. I intend to continue to help and contribute to the work and struggles of the Movement that I serve from my genuflections, no matter where I am. “
Source: KYPE
