Trade unions OYXEKA-SEK and SYXKA-PEO have formally appealed to the Cypriot Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Marinos Mousiouttas, to address the rising trend of temporary worker 'renting' in the hospitality and catering industries. Letters were also sent to the Director of the Department of Labour Relations, Andis Apostolou, and the Director of the Department of Labour, Alexandros Alexandrou, during the week of July 21, 2026.

The unions assert that the significant increase in temporary agency workers violates the 2012 Law on Temporary Employment Agencies (Law 174(I)/2012). They argue that these practices undermine existing collective bargaining agreements and broader labor laws. Furthermore, the unions contend that this phenomenon exacerbates complications arising from the current framework regulating the employment of workers from third countries.

This initiative follows a previous notification sent to hotel associations on June 17, 2025, regarding the legal obligations of employers. The unions are now demanding immediate inspections and rigorous monitoring of these sectors to ensure compliance with the law and to protect the rights of the workforce. As of now, the Ministry has not issued a formal response regarding the implementation of further inspections.