1. Direct Participation in Cyprus From theory to practice
Andreas Ph. Matsas
General Secretary- SEK
Nicosia, 15 January 2018

2. Direct Participation in Cyprus
Financial crisis resulted to:
Deregulation of the labour market (undeclared employment, atypical employment)
Increase of unemployment
Limit collective bargaining opportunities
Negative effect on industrial relations
However, current growth creates new challenges and prospects

3. Direct Participation in Cyprus
Tripartite system of industrial relations
Bipartite cooperation- Collective bargaining and agreements both on enterprise and sectoral level (55% of trade union participation)
Structures of direct participation (especially on issues related to health and safety)
Mixture of consultative and delegative types of direct participation (informal- not binding)

4. Direct Participation in Cyprus
E.U Directive on Information- Consultation (2002/14/EC- Legal framework but it is through workers’ representatives in a company that the directive makes it necessary for employers to inform and consult their employees:
The present and the foreseeable activities and economic development of the company
The situation, structure and probable development of employment and any new measures
The decisions that could lead to important changes in work organisation

5. Direct Participation in Cyprus
Worker participation means the involvement of workers/ employees in decision making process at a company, sector or national level- This does not include only information and consultation but also direct or indirect participation in management or other decisions- Eurofound

6. Direct Participation in Cyprus
“The world can be conquered if you think by your heart” Aristotle
Direct participation- Employees needs+ enterprise goals/ priorities> balanced growth
Direct participation promotes industrial democracy (human capital as an asset)- leading to the increase of productivity and competitiveness

7. Direct Participation in Cyprus
Direct participation should lead to:
WIN- WIN SITUATIONS

8. Direct Participation in Cyprus
Definitions vary
Public/ semi- public vs private sector
Perception vs understanding- theory vs practice
Policy vs implementation

9. Direct Participation in Cyprus
Theory vs practice

10. Direct Participation in Cyprus
should be approached as an important tool to be used collectively and not on individual basis
should not be a selective process according to the enterprise interests (topics, involvement of employees)
Employees should have an active role being an important actor within companies
Trade union role should be clearly identified (great challenge)

11. Direct Participation in Cyprus
Direct participation in the era of digitalization (????)- “digital revolution”- ETUI
A challenge against the anonymous, robotized employee under the name “the crowd” and limited information spread
Balanced implementation of digitalisation in benefiting both enterprises, management and employees

12. Direct Participation in Cyprus
“Reforms do not mean a return to neoliberal policies” President Junker (ETUC Congress, 2016)
Clear message leading the way in promoting new strategies that can be supportive in improving information, consultation and participation
A glance towards that direction could be useful (perhaps a new project in the way?)