The Democratic Labour Federation of Cyprus (DEOK)

Profile:

The DEOK was founded in I962 and reactivated in 1982 by a number of Trade Unions aiming: to offer “the third option” to the workers so that they could exercise freely and democratically their right to unionize, and to secure the existence of a healthy environment of pluralism into the Trade Union scene of the country.

The current structure of the DEOK embraces the following Democratic Employees Enosis (Unions)-DEE:

1. DEE of Builders and Woodworkers
2. DEE of Commercial and Industry
3. DEE of Textile and Leather Industry
4. DEE of Government Hourly – Wagers and Workers in Public Utilities & Services
5. Trade Union of Hotel and Tourism Employees – “ALLAGE” (Founded in 2000)

The vision of the DEOK is “To achieve instrumental unity of the workers in order to exercise corporately their constitutional rights and to materialize and secure freedom, equality and solidarity.”

Any trade-labour union which adopts the principles of DEOK may apply for accession in the Federation either by participating in the existing force or by forming a separate Democratic Employees Enosis (DEE).

Each Democratic Employees Union (DEE) has its own Statutory Provisions and set of governing regulations, maintains its independent legal and organizational entity and is operated by elected officials who form the regional and national organizational structure. At the same time each DEE participates ex officio in the federal establishment of DEOK.

The Head Offices of the Federation and the constituent DEE are situated in Nicosia. The DEOK has regional offices in all major Districts of Cyprus.

The Federal Structure of the DEOK consists of the following collective bodies:
1. The Congress
Meeting regularly every four years it consists of an extended number of delegates of the constituting DEE
2. The Annual Assembly.
The Assembly Meets every year with the same participation as it in the case of the Congress.
3. The Central Board
The Central Board is the active executive body of the Federation. It is structured by the Secretariat and the Regional Secretaries of DEOK and the General Secretaries and two other representatives of each DEE plus 8 members who are elected directly by the Congress.
4. The Executive Secretariat
Elected directly by the congress it consists of seven members, including the General Secretary, and has the responsibility for the daily operation according to the decisions of the Central Board to manage the Federation towards the materialization of the mandate received from the Congress.

Holding Umbrella Responsibilities for its Constituent Unions

.The federal responsibility of DEOK towards its DEE members covers all developmental and operational requirements of the Unions including:

1. Financial Support
2. Organizational issues and trade action
3. Regulatory and Audit action
4. Research and studies
5. Federal and Regional Action Planning
6. Human Resources Development
7. Training for Officials and Members

DEOK offers to its members the following collective benefits:
Participation in a Health Scheme which covers medical and pharmaceutical treatment of the members and their family primary level, Provident Fund, and the facilities of a Children Camping and Resting site at a mountain resort. Recently special help desks were established offering support and services for job seekers, and to European and other non-Cypriot workers.

The DEOK is a Recognized Social Partner since 1998:
On November 18th of 1998, a major decision by the Council of Ministers of the Republic was taken. The decision was pronouncing DEOK as an equal social partner on equal footing and treatment with PEO and SEK on behalf of the government. After that decision DEOK was invited to take a seat as a member in all tripartite committees and advisory bodies, where PEO and SEK were already present, as a nationally representative workers organization. That decision was a breakthrough to most problems the DEOK was facing previously in terms of the demand for recognition of its national representative status, and on the demand of equal treatment as a social partner by the government.

Today DEOK participates as a member on all national tripartite consultative bodies and committees. The most important of them are:

1. The National Labour Advisory Board.
2. The National Economic Advisory Committee.
3. The Board of the Social Insurance Fund.
4. The Board of the Redundancy Fund.
5. The Board of the Paid Annual Leave Fund.
6. The Board of the National Youth Organization.
7. The National Mechanism for Women Rights.
8. The Board of the Housing Finance Organization.
9. Consultative Committee of Consumer’s Rights.

In addition, since 1999 Officers of DEOK are appointed in the Court of Labour Disputes.

Equality and Equal Treatment Department (EETD) - 2000
The DEOK has shown dedication and determination in the promotion of gender equality, which has always been firm and highly rated on the Federation’s social policy and trade action agenda. In order to achieve its goals on the issue, DEOK has established the Equality and Equal Treatment Department since 1984. The activities, the experience, and the concrete results of the long term efforts of the EETD is not only evident in its rich portfolio, but it is well known and recognized by the national and local public authorities in Cyprus, the Cypriot women, and the society overall. The Department has its own structure within the Federation and is supervised by a steering committee. It has a Director (woman) and 3 permanent staff members.

The DEOK attends effectively most local and international labour congresses and has an active participation in the annual conference of ILO since 1987.

DEOK founded in 1988 the Center of Labour Studies (KEME) acting independently as a separate institution. The Center was renamed in 1998 as KEME RENOS PRENTZAS after its founder, the late General Secretary of DEOK. The Center, among other activities, offers regular training programs for executives, officials and members of the Federation as well as frequent seminars addressed to the public on burning social, political and labour issues.

In 2006, the DEOK founded the Cyprus Training Education and Employment Institute (KIKEA) as a new institutional structure aiming to promote even further its operations in training and adult education programs. Prior to that, INE/DEOK was founded as a branch of DEOK to handle research and special studies, has shown considerable activities over the years.

International and European Affiliation
DEOK became a member of WCL in 1982 and showed an active profile in the International and European labour movement. In 2006, following a historic decision of the 27th WCL Congress to merge with the ICFTU in a new International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), DEOK became a founding member of the ITUC. The DEOK has applied for affiliation to the European Trade Union Confederation, and its application is pending for a positive decision to be taken soon. It is also a founding member of the Pan European Regional Council (PERC) of the ITUC.

DEOK is a member of the Consultative Committee of the LEONARDO DA VINCI National Agency of Cyprus and has participated effectively in the HERMES project under Leonardo Da Vinci program promoted by INE/GSEE (Greece). DEOK has succeeded in 2001 to undertake as a Promoter the HOUSERVE project of Leonardo Da Vinci and is currently managing its implementation along with partners from Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria and Lithuania.