Cyprus Mail 17 November 2020 - by Gina Agapiou
Cypra slaughterhouse has been fined €213,500 after authorities found 61 undeclared workers at its premises during an inspection relating to 92 staff who had tested positive for coronavirus, a senior labour ministry official told the Cyprus Mail on Tuesday.
The fines correspond to €3,500 per undeclared worker employed over the last seven months.
The company has 30 days to pay the fine. If paid within the time limit, 30 per cent of the fine will be forgiven.
“Otherwise, a €50 additional charge will be imposed for every day the company delays payment,” an official from the inspection service of the labour ministry told the Cyprus Mail.
Initially, the service identified 79 undeclared workers, but 18 were found to have submitted a social insurance application.
The company failed to attend a House labour committee meeting on the slaughterhouse that was held on Tuesday. Media reports said the CEO Giorgos Georgiou did not participate because he was self-isolating.
The slaughterhouse and animal waste management company has come under fire from Green party MP Yiorgos Perdikis for unacceptable living conditions of its workers.
Two weeks ago, Cypra recorded 92 coronavirus cases among its staff, raising suspicions of lack of adherence to health protocols against the spread of Covid-19.
