Migrant workers need better access to information about their rights, to prevent their abuse by unscrupulous employers, speakers at a roundtable said on Thursday. Attorney Eleni Charalambous said the key issue is not the absence of relevant legislation safeguarding workers’ rights, but rather the effective implementation of it. Charalambous said a person’s residence status does not affect their labour rights, “as it makes no difference to the employer’s obligation to enforce labour laws or to pay a salary”. For his part, Panayiotis Ioannides, a SEK trade unionist representing hotel workers, called for more “tools” so that workers have instant access to information and support. Subcontracting chains often dilute labour rights by separating the main company from the actual workers, leading to lower pay, poor safety, and hidden exploitation.