K-Pet workers end strike after company withdraws nine layoffs
K-Pet has reversed plans to dismiss nine workers, ending a strike, with fuel deliveries to its petrol stations due to resume on Sunday, according to Dev-Is representative Semih Kolozali.
Nicosia, Cyprus. Workers at Cyprus Turkish Petroleum (K-Pet) ended their strike on Saturday after the company withdrew plans to dismiss nine employees, according to Semih Kolozali of the Turkish Cypriot federation of revolutionary trade unions (Dev-Is). He said deliveries to K-Pet petrol stations would restart on Sunday.
Agreement keeps workers employed
Speaking to Yeniduzen, Kolozali said talks between K-Pet and Petrol-Is, the fuel workers’ union affiliated with Dev-Is, had produced an agreement to retain all nine employees and assign them different duties.
He subsequently told Kibris Postasi that fuel supplies to stations operating under K-Pet would resume on Sunday.
Minister challenged dismissal plans
The proposed job cuts had drawn opposition from trade unions and the Turkish Cypriot authorities. On Wednesday, Turkish Cypriot labour minister Oguzhan Hasipoglu said he opposed the dismissals.
Hasipoglu said the proposed termination notices did not comply with proper procedure and that he had informed K-Pet he rejected them. In the authorities’ view, he said, the nine workers remained employed.
He also questioned K-Pet’s reported argument that the dismissals were necessary to reduce costs. Hasipoglu said the business was profitable and could move the employees into other roles. He questioned whether retaining nine people could bankrupt a company of that size, leaving that assessment to its judgement.
Fuel availability and price differences
As the biggest fuel supplier serving the Turkish Cypriot community, K-Pet’s strike had prompted concerns about fuel availability. Those concerns came as authorities in the Republic of Cyprus reported that rising pump prices were leading more Greek Cypriots to fill their vehicles at Turkish Cypriot stations.
On Saturday evening, average prices in the Republic of Cyprus were €1.759 for each litre of 95-octane petrol and €2.018 for diesel.
At Turkish Cypriot stations, the corresponding per-litre prices were 77.12TL (€1.38) for 95-octane petrol and 76TL (€1.36) for diesel.
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