Education ministry support staff initiate indefinite strike over labor conditions

Staff working in the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth support programs across Cyprus began an indefinite strike on Monday, November 2, 2026. The industrial action, organized by unions PASEY-PEO and OEKDY-SEK, escalated on Thursday, November 5, with a mass rally starting at the Ministry of Finance and moving toward the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.

Workers are demanding the resolution of two primary grievances: the provision of income during summer months for permanent staff who currently receive neither salary nor unemployment benefits, and the immediate employment of long-serving staff members who remain unemployed. The protestors, supported by teacher organizations POED and OELMEK, claim that previous consultative efforts have yielded no substantive results. Union representatives submitted a memorandum to the Presidential Palace requesting a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides to secure a political resolution to these long-standing labor issues.

While the government is currently evaluating the situation, Education Minister Athena Michaelidou has previously addressed the broader system, warning that granting permanent status to large groups without formal examinations could compromise meritocracy. As of November 5, the strikers are awaiting a response to their request for a direct dialogue with the President to determine the future of their employment status.