Topic 4 The basics of Cyprus’ labour market and the risks of Labour Exploitation – how to identify and report labour exploitation
Signs of labour exploitation
- People are forced to work long hours for little or no pay, in poor conditions under verbal or physical threats of violence to them or their families.
- It takes place in various industries including construction, manufacturing, car washes, laying driveways, hospitality, food packaging, agriculture, maritime and beauty (nail bars).
- Poor work conditions i.e. not provided with protective clothing and the area of work being unsafe.
- Control mechanisms are used to keep workers from leaving for example, withholding important documents (i.e. passports) or debt bondage- this is where a person is forced to work to pay off a debt or loan which cannot be paid off, because the wages are so low or because unreasonable deductions are made.
- Victims are usually put together in one common space, whether that be residential housing or work related accommodation.
Labour exploitation signs
Where to report labour exploitation
- If you believe that your labour rights are being violated (for example if you do not receive the agreed salary, if the working hours are not the agreed, if the conditions at workplace are discriminatory or inhuman etc.) you can always submit a complaint to the Department of Labour Relations: http://www.mlsi.gov.cy/mlsi/dlr/dlr.nsf/page32_en/page32_en?OpenDocument. Your complaint can either anonymous or eponymous.
- Additionally, you can report labour exploitation incidents through the following entities.
Police Headquarters
1478 Nicosia – Cyprus
Tel: +357 22808080 – Fax: +357 22808597
Email: police@police.gov.cy – Website: www.police.gov.cy
Criminal Investigation Office
Cyprus Police
Tel: +357 22808063, 22808573, 2280855
Email: rsuperman@police.gov.cy
Nicosia District
Cyprus Police
6 Agamemnonos Street
2411 Nicosia – Cyprus
Tel: +357 22802353 – Fax: +357 22775551
Email: aliensim@police.gov.cy
Tel: +357 22205959
Email: info@helprefugeeswork.org
FB: https://www.facebook.com/cyrefugeecouncil
IG: https://www.instagram.com/cyprusrefugeecouncil/
Website: www.cyrefugeecouncil.org
Tel: +357 22771063
Email: info@cyprusstoptrafficking.com + cyprus.stop.trafficking@gmail.com
Tel: +357 25770238 opvsaestigma@gmail.com
Email: opvsaestigma@gmail.com
48 Arsinoe Street, 1010 Nicosia, Cyprus
P.O. Box 22113, 1517 Nicosia, Cyprus
Tel: +357 22878181 – Fax: +357 773039
Email: kisa@cytanet.com.cy – Website: www.kisa.org.cy
Ombudsman’s Office
ERA House, 2 Diagorou Street, 1097 Nicosia, Cyprus
Tel: +357 22405507 – Fax: +357 22672881
Email: equality@ombudsman.gov.cy – Website: www.no-discrimination.gov.cy