The General Workers' Union has called for efficient economic measures to reduce the effect of inflation on workers and industry.

In a statement the union said that the cost of living in March continued to increase with the inflation rate reaching nearly four per cent when compared to March last year.

The biggest increase was registered on food items, particularly fish. The cost of clothes had also increased significantly and this inflation rate did not include the recent fuel and cereal price hikes.

The union said it was seriously concerned at the way inflation was continuing to rise and how it was eroding workers' and pensioners' purchasing power.

So it was closely monitoring several factors now that the price stability agreements with importers had come to an end.

The union is also keeping an eye on the international price of oil and the effect this could have on workers' income, especially since the water and electricity surcharge is due to be revised in June.

The current situation underlined the urgent need for effective economic measures to be taken to ease the impact of inflation on the workers and on industrial competitiveness, the union said.