Nicosia, Cyprus. Hourly workers at the government printing office began an indefinite strike on Wednesday, raising the possibility of disruption to the printing of ballots for upcoming parliamentary elections.
Strike action and demands
The 22 hourly employees who operate the facility halted work in protest at low wages and are demanding an upgrade of salary scales to reflect their responsibilities. The workers said they are effectively responsible for the full operation of the printing office, which has relied exclusively on hourly staff for years.
Union statements and timeline
Sek’s Nicosia district organiser Nikos Satsias said the dispute has been ongoing for two years following repeated discussions with government departments. He said the process had reached “a dead end” after authorities declined to meet demands.
“With the government’s refusal to consider the people’s request to have decent wages and exhausting all procedures and the industrial relations code, the assembly has decided that we are proceeding with indefinite strike action,” he said.
Staffing and pay conditions
Satsias said no civil servant printers have been hired since the 2013 financial crisis, leaving hourly workers to perform duties typically assigned to permanent staff. He said unions have, since 2024, presented documented arguments supporting the need for improved pay conditions, describing current wages as inadequate.
Impact concerns
Satsias said the workers did not intend to disrupt critical functions but aimed to resolve what he described as a longstanding issue. “The effort is not to create a problem, but to resolve a chronic issue,” he said.
How do you think the dispute should be resolved to avoid disruption to ballot printing?