Cyprus-Forum.com

[Peter.Symphony.X]

Is it OK to work from 06:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 21:00 and on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday sometimes 'till 03:00 and still be expected to get up at 06:00? Is it OK for your employer to forbid you from using your mobile "You are here to work , not talk on the phone!". Is it OK to not be able to get out on your break outside of the Cafe-Bar-Internet-Restaurant?
Is it OK not to get paid on time ( or even if you are going to get paid ) and when you do to be told that even the 300 CPY are too much? Is it OK to work from 06:00 to 13:00 in the house of the owners of the establishment and then work in the kitchen of the restaurant? Is it OK to be told that you will eat what is cooked at the moment( which is a soup made of Maggi dry chicken stock, kous kous and water) ? Is it OK to live in a storage room in the restaurant and have the computers and the pool table next to you and the noise and the pool balls are hitting the wall every 2 minutes? Is it OK to be hired for 300 CPY and the contract is for 160 CPY and your job description is a live-in House Maid, when in fact you were told that you will work as a helper in the kitchen for 8 hours a day for 5-6 days a week? Is it OK for the owner to yell and scream at you and feel that he is going to beat you up at anytime. Is it OK to clean the house and the wife of the owner to take money from the register and then admit that she took them the next day, when the owner is suspecting everyone else? Is it OK when you visit your girlfriend and bring her food, so she has some nutrishious food , to be told not to set foot in the establishment again? WHAT GIVES????

My girlfriend works in a bar cafe internet restaurant. That is the situation right now!

It seems to be OK to have illegal gambling machines and button under the counter to reset them and take peoples money.OK to have a dryer in the bathroom and the lint is all over the house just an hour from when you cleaned the house. OK to live in an establishment storage room- which is also illegal. OK not to pay social insurance on the full salary( you guessed it ILLEGAL ). OK to make you employee work for 16-18 hour days without paying ovetime or recognizing the work laws ( Illegal). OK not to have a bank account open because you canot get the contract that you signed or a copy of it ( you are not allowed to go outside of the restaurant for any reason ) from Immigration.

Sorry for the long post but like your input.

Peter.Symphony.X

[Svetlana]

Dear Peter

I feel strongly about the plight of foreigners employed here; may I ask what nationality she is and does she work in Paphos?

Lana

[theresa]

I think its NOT ok - you should report them to the authorities. Does she have a work permit? Here in the North you arent tied to a particular employer because of the work permit - its stamped in your passport also! What nationality is she?
Tess

[unique_earthling]

Well Peter i really feel for your friend, i am an EU citizen and where i worked before the job i have now, i was shouted at and abused by the boss, also had to work flat out without a break for 8 hours a day in the tourist section. Listening to a daily onslaught of sexual innuendos. and nothing anyone did was good enough, daily critiscisms and never any positive imput. Had to learn the job on my feet as no one would share their knowledge with me. And wages would never be given on time usually well over a week late. One day off a week. All for 450 pounds a month.

Needless to say i eventually left, but if your friend is here illegally then nothing you can do, if she does have a work permit, then still nothing she can do as no one seems to be on the side of foreigners here. No one cares, only money is important and yes i am in Paphos and so is Peter. So are you saying this is just a Paphos problem?

[andri_cy]

Peter if she is there legally you should talk to someone on her behalf like a lawyer or the police. If she is there illegally I dont know what to tell you.

[rulla]

well i sugest you go back home

[Piratis]

Peter, what you describe is very bad and a big problem for Cypriots as well.

Unfortunately many foreigners are willing to work more, for less and under worst working conditions. This means unemployment for Cypriot workers since almost no Cypriot would accept to work under those terms.

My suggestion is that your girlfriend should resign from that job and that nobody should accept to work there until the employer is willing to give a decent salary and good working conditions.

Only if all workers belong to unions and illegal cheap labor does not exist such problems will be solved permanently.

[West Side]

Illegal cheap labour is good for an economy, especailly the Cypriot one. Many people are too stuck up to do the jobs they do. If they did not do it then nobody will.

[Sotos]

Illegal cheap labour is good for an economy, especailly the Cypriot one. Many people are too stuck up to do the jobs they do. If they did not do it then nobody will.

Thats called exploitation!

[andri_cy]

maybe west side is the girlfriends boss...?