Electricity authority strike continues in northern Cyprus with planned escalation

The strike by the El-Sen union at the Kıb-Tek electricity authority in the northern areas of Cyprus has entered its fifth consecutive day. The ongoing labor dispute involves demands regarding operational management, personnel recruitment, and safety protocols. The protest has already caused significant power disruptions across the region, affecting both residents and local businesses.

In a move to increase pressure on the authorities, the president of El-Sen, Ahmet Tuğcu, announced that four additional public sector unions—KTAMS, Kamu-Sen, Kamu-İş, and BES—will initiate sympathy strikes starting next Monday. While the unions have expressed readiness to engage in negotiations, they are demanding that the governing administration take responsibility for their grievances. Tuğcu also criticized the local administration for allegedly attempting to bypass the industrial action by hiring private companies to repair electrical faults in areas including Morphou, Kyrenia, and Nicosia, which the union views as a violation of their rights.

The situation remains tense, with the industrial action expected to intensify significantly at the start of the coming week. The administration has yet to reach a resolution, leaving the public at high risk of prolonged blackouts as the labor dispute persists.