Cyprus education support staff begin indefinite strike

Workers in the support programs of the Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth began an indefinite strike on Monday, November 2, 2026. The industrial action, organized by trade unions PASEY-PEO and OEKDY-SEK, affects twelve major educational services, including state training institutes, music schools, and apprenticeship schemes. The unions argue that the government has failed to implement legislation passed on April 21, 2026, which regulates recruitment and employment terms. Key demands include securing income for summer months for indefinite-term staff and the immediate hiring of long-serving employees currently left unemployed.

Education Minister Athina Michaelidou stated that the government has already met most union demands and that the request for unemployment benefits for indefinite-term staff contradicts current legal frameworks. She warned that the ministry has prepared contingency plans to address the disruption, noting that while negotiations are ongoing, permanent status without exams remains legally untenable. The labor dispute is expected to escalate on Thursday, November 5, with a protest march scheduled from the Ministry of Finance to the Presidential Palace. While support programs are paralyzed, the ministry confirmed that optional all-day schools remain operational.