Government hourly workers in Cyprus to hold 24-hour strike

Approximately 9,000 hourly government employees in Cyprus are scheduled to hold a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, June 24, to demand the renewal of their collective bargaining agreement for 2025-2027. The labor unions OEKDY-SEK, PEO, and DEOK organized the action following long-standing frustrations over wage stagnation, which they claim has persisted for 17 years. According to Georgios Konstantinou, General Secretary of OEKDY-SEK, the Ministry of Finance has failed to provide a counter-proposal regarding requested salary increases and benefits despite ongoing discussions since 2025. The strike will affect approximately 7,500 government staff and 1,700 employees at the State Health Services Organization (OKYPY) across various sectors, including the Forestry Department, Fire Service, and public works. Striking workers plan to protest at 10:00 a.m. outside the Ministry of Finance before marching to the Presidential Palace. The unions have warned that if their demands for salary improvements are not met, they will escalate their industrial actions. This dispute exclusively concerns hourly workers and does not involve the broader civil service union PASYDY.