Newsroom
More than 11,000 hourly-paid workers across government services, schools and public hospitals are set to strike on Thursday, September 17, in a dispute over pay and employment conditions. The 24-hour walkout has been called by the OEKDY SEK, PASYEK PEO and DEE KDOKO DEOK trade unions, with a protest rally scheduled outside the Presidential Palace at 10am.
The strike will involve hourly-paid government personnel working in ministries, departments and state services, as well as staff employed by School Boards. Hourly-paid workers at OKYPY hospitals are also expected to take part.
At the centre of the dispute is the renewal of collective labour agreements covering the 2025-2027 period. The unions are seeking salary increases of 2% for 2025, 3% for 2026 and 3% for 2027, arguing that higher pay is needed to offset the rising cost of living.
They say the workers have seen their salaries remain stagnant or suffer cuts for more than a decade. The unions are also demanding the restoration of the original salary entry points, which they say remain 10% below previous levels, together with a 0.5% improvement to the Provident Fund.
According to the three unions, negotiations with the Government have continued for 15 months but have failed to produce an agreement. They criticised the Government for refusing to grant general salary increases despite Cyprus recording economic growth and fiscal surpluses.
The unions have warned that Thursday's action may not be the end of the dispute. If no progress is made, they are considering extending the strike from 24 to 48 hours.
Staffing is another issue raised by the unions, which claim that the Government is abolishing vacant positions or failing to fill them. They argue that the resulting shortages are making it difficult for many departments and services to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
The unions described Thursday's mobilisation as the starting point of a campaign to protect the dignity and purchasing power of the lowest-paid employees in the state and public sectors. They also asked the public to understand the disruption caused by the strike and called on political leaders and society to support their demands.
