Limassol buses strike again

An open-ended bus strike was set to begin on Tuesday in Limassol following the collapse of labour talks between the company and the government.

An executive board meeting that took place at EMEL Limassol Bus Company on Monday failed to reach a positive outcome according to local media.

The bus company is seeking back pay in the form of government subsidies for the last few months, with executives arguing that hundreds of thousands were withheld by the Transport Ministry due to last year’s strikes.

EMEL is also seeking pay based on past contractual agreements that date back to 2014, with the government viewing the demands as unwarranted and arguing that fines were imposed on the company due to strike action.

Similar action in Nicosia and Larnaca had been scheduled to take place on Tuesday but strike was averted after a deal was accepted Monday with the companies expecting to get back pay for March including provident fund deposits in the following days.

The government has said repeatedly that bus companies need to “own up” to their obligations to negotiate with their employees and clarify employment terms with drivers.