Cyprus public health service workers announce 48-hour strike — Cyprus Mail

Employees of Cyprus’ public health services, OKYPY, will hold a 48-hour strike on November 10 and 11. The reason is the failure to implement provisions of the collective agreement, which expired in 2025, including those concerning salary increases, as well as a deadlock in negotiations on a new agreement, Cyprus Mail reports.

The SEK, PEO, Deok, Pasyno and Pasyki trade unions called on OKYPY to fulfill its obligations and reach an agreement by November 10. They warned that, in the absence of an agreement, protest actions could intensify.

Workers’ demands

In a joint statement, the trade unions reported workers’ dissatisfaction with annual pay increases and the staffing structure. According to them, the staffing structure is directly linked to staff shortages and the level of care received by patients.

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The collective agreement covers approximately 1,600 employees, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, technical, administrative and office staff.

Dispute over pay scales

According to the trade unions, negotiations on the collective agreement for 2026–2027 have reached a deadlock due to OKYPY’s position on the procedure for introducing pay scales from 2028. Workers’ representatives said they had submitted their proposals and were ready for negotiations, but would not agree to future arrangements until the previous ones had been implemented.

The trade unions demand the implementation of already agreed pay scales and staffing structures which, in their view, should improve the productivity, efficiency and competitiveness of the services. They also stated that some employees are already moving to jobs in other public sectors. During the strike, staff will cooperate with services in emergencies and other life-threatening situations.