Over 11,000 public sector workers to hold 24-hour strike in Cyprus

More than 11,000 hourly workers employed in Cyprus's public sector, including government ministries, school boards, and state hospital operator OKYPY, will participate in a 24-hour strike on Thursday, September 17, 2026. A protest gathering is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.

The strike, organized by unions OEKDY SEK, PASYEK PEO, and DEE KDOKO DEOK, follows an impasse in negotiations for the 2025-2027 collective labor agreement. The unions are demanding wage increases of 2% for 2025 and 3% for both 2026 and 2027 to address the rising cost of living. They argue that government refusal to grant raises is unjustified given the country's economic growth and budget surpluses. Labor leaders also cite issues regarding understaffing and stagnant wages that have allegedly remained unchanged or cut for over a decade.

While the government maintains that no new proposals are currently viable, the unions have warned that this 24-hour strike is only the beginning of their industrial action. They have explicitly left open the possibility of escalating the protest to a 48-hour strike if their demands are not addressed, as the current deadlock continues to threaten the continuity of public services.