Hourly-paid government workers to strike on 24 June 2026

Hourly-paid government workers in Cyprus are scheduled to hold a 24-hour nationwide strike on 24 June 2026. The industrial action, organized by trade unions OEKDY SEK, PASEY PEO, and DEE KDOKO DEOK, is a response to delays in the renewal of their collective agreement for 2025–2027. Unions report that negotiations have stalled since the submission of their demands in April 2025, with the Ministry of Finance failing to engage in substantive dialogue. The affected workforce includes approximately 7,500 employees across government ministries and departments, as well as 1,700 workers at the State Health Services Organisation (SHSO). Unions claim that many staff currently earn the national minimum wage, which they argue is insufficient for basic living costs. They are demanding immediate salary increases and improved benefits to ensure a dignified standard of living. This marks the first time since the founding of the Republic of Cyprus that negotiations for a collective agreement have faced such delays without a stated justification. The unions have warned that failure to reach an agreement will lead to further escalation of strike measures.