A new bill proposed by MP Alekos Tryfonides could allow public sector employees on the lowest salary scale (up to grade A8) to work part-time as private security guards—reflecting the growing financial strain on low-paid government workers.
Currently, these employees are barred from taking on such roles due to existing legal restrictions. Tryfonides said the proposal aims to lift that barrier, citing widespread staff shortages in private security and a rising number of public employees seeking supplementary income to make ends meet.
Criticism, however, has emerged.
Union SEK PEO’s General Secretary, Nikos Grigoriou, pointed out that many workers in Cyprus are still searching for a first job, let alone a second. He argued that the root issue isn’t a lack of labour but the poor pay and conditions offered by private security firms.
Tryfonides stated that the initiative was not requested by the private sector, but came from low-income public employees themselves—many of whom are struggling to support their families on current wages.
The bill is expected to be debated after the Easter recess.
