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Cyprus' Minister of Health, Dr. Poppy Kanari, is set to hold separate meetings with trade unions and the State Health Services Agency (OKYpY) to address a dispute arising from the Agency's failure to negotiate a collective agreement for staff employed under personal contracts, according to the Cypriot Ministry of Health.
Following an eight-hour work stoppage by OKYpY employees, joined by trade unions SEK, PEO, DEOK, PASYDY, PASYNO, and PASYKI, the Minister is taking steps to find a mutually acceptable solution between OKYpY and the employees' unions.
While the unions have not received invitations for a meeting at this point, they are prepared to engage in a dialogue to reach solutions that would halt the escalation of strike measures.
PASYDY SG Stratis Matthaiou emphasized the guilds' focus on preserving the professional dignity of their members and the importance of regulating working conditions through a collective agreement. They remain committed to this goal and are open to a consensual solution if OKYpY agrees in principle.
Nikos Grigoriou, Secretary General of the SIDIKEK PEO, expressed the view that OKYpY has exhausted its role in negotiations. He stressed the demand for a collective agreement and called on the government to take a stance on this matter.
While the unions have demonstrated flexibility in individual issues during the dialogue, they remain unwavering in their commitment to achieving a collective agreement. Timelines, if set, would be aimed at finding a solution, as their main goal is to avoid strikes and reach a resolution. Grigoriou noted that the time for a resolution is not unlimited, especially given the recent escalation of strikes.
[Information sourced from CNA]
