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Equality Demands Respect for Pension Fund Choice

Published February 19, 2026, 15:02
Equality Demands Respect for Pension Fund Choice

The 'ISOTITA' Pan-Cypriot Union is protesting the refusal of certain School Boards to respect employees' right to choose the 'LifeGoals' multi-employer professional pension fund instead of the Provident Fund stipulated in the Collective Agreement. The union states that 'LifeGoals' is legally registered and supervised, while some Boards, such as those of Larnaca, Xylofagou and Xylotymbou, insist on the Provident Fund, despite others (Athens, Dromolaxia-Meneou) already contributing to 'LifeGoals'. The 'ISOTITA' points out that employer contributions to the Provident Fund are covered by the state budget, creating an 'invisible' capital reserve that benefits neither employees nor the Collective Agreement Fund. Additionally, it accuses the Ministry of Education of lacking oversight and delegating responsibilities to a private lawyer. The union also highlights the conflict of interest of the Director of the Department of Labor Relations, who is simultaneously the Vice-President of the Nicosia School Board. It believes this undermines his impartiality in mediating between employees and Boards. 'ISOTITA' demands full compliance by all School Boards with the right to choose a pension fund, retroactive registration and payment of withheld amounts with interest, transparency in the management of state funds, exclusion of officials with conflicts of interest, intervention by the Auditor General and the Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights, as well as discussion of the issue in Parliamentary Committees.