K-Pet fuel company workers launch indefinite strike in occupied areas

An indefinite strike began on Wednesday morning at the K-Pet fuel storage and distribution facilities located in Gastria in the occupied areas of Cyprus. The industrial action was organized by the Turkish Cypriot petroleum workers' union following the company management's refusal to withdraw redundancy notices issued to nine employees.

Semih Kolozali, head of the Dev-Is union federation, stated that the layoffs were decided irregularly without required government approval. He noted that the company currently employs 34 people, including management, while 40 are needed for optimal operations, meaning the proposed layoffs would critically exacerbate staff shortages. The strike has led to a disruption in fuel supplies to the company's service stations across the region. While the electricity authority strike has concluded, this new labor dispute marks ongoing instability in the regional energy sector.

The union remains open to dialogue, demanding the withdrawal of the termination notices to restore operations. No immediate resolution has been reached, and negotiations between the workers and the company management are expected to continue.