Intensive negotiations continue to avert strike at public hospitals

Negotiations are currently underway between the State Health Services Organization (OKYPY) and six trade unions (PASYDY, SEK, PEO, DEOK, PASYKI, and PASYNO) to resolve a dispute over collective agreements in Cyprus's public hospitals. The discussions aim to prevent a scheduled 48-hour strike set for November 10 and 11, which threatens to disrupt hospital operations.

The primary point of contention involves salary increases and the management's insistence on linking these raises to employee performance evaluations. Despite the ongoing impasse, a series of high-level meetings involving the Minister of Health, Neofytos Charalampidis, has generated a degree of optimism. In a sign of potential progress, the unions postponed a press conference originally scheduled for November 4, indicating they are open to discussing alternative proposals presented by OKYPY to bridge the gap.

While the unions have granted OKYPY additional time until next Tuesday to reach a consensus, the 48-hour strike action has not been officially cancelled. Future developments depend on the success of these ongoing back-channel consultations in forming a new, mutually acceptable work document.