Public sector hourly staff announce strike for September 17

Hourly staff employed by the government, the State Health Services Organization (OKYPY), and school boards have scheduled a 24-hour nationwide strike for September 17, 2026. The decision was announced following a joint meeting of the SEK, PEO, and DEOK unions in Nicosia, held to evaluate the government's recent proposal for renewing the collective agreement for 2025, 2026, and 2027.

The labor action involves approximately 7,500 government employees, 1,700 OKYPY staff, and over 3,000 school board workers. The strike follows the rejection of the government's July 21 proposal, which reportedly offered no pay increases for the three-year period. George Konstantinou, General Secretary of OEKDY-SEK, stated that the unions have given the government until the mid-September deadline to submit an improved, acceptable proposal.

Should the government fail to present a satisfactory offer regarding the collective agreement by the set date, the strike will proceed as planned. The unions maintain that the current proposal is insufficient for the needs of the approximately 12,200 total personnel represented.