PEO reports over 188,000 employees earn under €1,500 monthly

On November 9, 2026, following an expanded session of its General Council, the Pancyprian Federation of Labour (PEO) announced that more than one in three salaried employees in Cyprus, totaling 188,697 people, earn less than €1,500 gross per month. The union highlighted that despite economic growth, wealth distribution remains unequal, leaving many workers struggling with the rising costs of housing and daily essentials.

During the council meeting, PEO reviewed the renewal of 174 collective agreements covering 104,183 workers. These agreements, which concluded in late 2025 and early 2026, secured wage increases averaging over 3% in addition to the Cost of Living Adjustment (CoLA), alongside improvements in working hours and social benefits. The union expressed satisfaction with these outcomes while criticizing the government’s proposed pension reforms for potentially worsening poverty among current and future retirees.

Looking ahead to 2027, PEO has made the substantial increase of the national minimum wage a core demand for the upcoming bargaining cycle. The federation intends to prioritize the strengthening of collective agreements and the fair distribution of national wealth to combat the persistent financial pressure faced by the workforce.