Paphos People

A general strike being held around the island on Thursday is set to affect travellers as airlines operating at Larnaca and Paphos airports are scrambling to reschedule flights.

The strike will see workers across the board down tools for three hours – from 12 noon to 3pm – and rallies in all towns over ongoing disputes regarding the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA).

According to airport operator Hermes, no flight cancellations have been announced yet but due to predicted staff shortages, airlines are already working on a new schedule for their flights on Thursday.

The renewed schedule will be made public either on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.

There is still uncertainty as to which airport workers will participate in the strike. However, police officers working at security will not take part.

The transport ministry on Tuesday urged people to arrive at the airports early on Thursday to avoid any inconvenience and to double check with their airlines whether the time of their flights has been changed.

The statement also added that the ministry “while always respecting the rights of workers, is taking all necessary measures to minimise disruptions.”

Unions are seeking the full restoration of CoLA following an impasse resulted from discussions between Labour Minister Kyriacos Koushos, unions and employers’ organisations.

Public and private employees will participate in the strike. Among the unions participating are Peo, Sek, Pasydy, Deok, Oelmek, Poed, Oltek, ESK and Pasyki.

Koushos on Tuesday underlined the importance of industrial peace and called the upcoming strike “an unpleasant development for everyone involved.”

“I am appealing to the unions’ sense of responsibility and call on them to reconsider the decision to strike,” he told the media outside the labour ministry.

“Industrial peace must be protected at all costs so I am urging unions to wait for the new government to be formed, so that a productive dialogue with the state can take place and issues can be solved.”

Presidential elections will be held on February 5 and 12.

Meanwhile, the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) reassured people who will take part in the strike that there will not be repercussions from their employers, “as the right of workers to freely participate in industrial action is guaranteed”.

However, Keve also reminded that people striking on Thursday will not be remunerated for the day and that the use of violence and intimidation to force anyone to strike is strictly prohibited.

Also, according to Keve, businesses and organisations deemed essential in accordance with the unions, will need to guarantee a ‘minimum service’ to avoid issues that will greatly affect the public or endanger lives.

More specifically, “ensuring the continuous supply of electricity and water, as well as the operation of telecommunications companies, airports, ports, hospitals, prisons, police stations and fire brigades, will be considered an absolute priority,” Keve concluded.

Workers demand the gradual full restoration of CoLA, while employers said they want to continue to pay 50 per cent of CoLA as had been the practice in the past five years.

Implemented since 1944, the cost-of-living allowance was suspended after the 2013 crisis and then partially reinstated in 2018, following the transitional agreement reached in mid-2017.

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Dave
Moira And Dave

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