Okypy staff to hold 48-hour strike on November 10 and 11 over stalled pay talks

Nicosia, Cyprus. Employees of the state health services organisation Okypy will stop work for 48 hours on November 10 and 11, protesting unimplemented provisions of their collective agreement, which expired in 2025, and the stalemate in talks on renewing it. The unions have urged Okypy to fulfil its obligations and settle the matter by November 10 to prevent the action, warning that measures could otherwise be escalated.

Joint union statement

In a joint statement issued on Monday, the unions SEK, PEO, Deok, Pasyno and Pasyki said staff were unhappy about annual pay increases and the personnel structure. They linked the latter directly to understaffing and, as a result, to the quality of care patients receive.

Related: Okypy urges unions to cancel planned 48-hour strike on November 10 and 11

RelatedOkypy urges unions to cancel planned 48-hour strike on November 10 and 11

Deadlock over salary scales

The unions said talks on renewing the agreement for 2026-2027 had stalled because Okypy insisted on a particular approach to applying the salary scales from 2028 onwards. They stated that they had tabled proposals and were willing to negotiate, but would not agree to future arrangements while earlier commitments remained unfulfilled.

According to the unions, workers want the salary scales and structures that were already agreed to be put into effect. They argued that this would boost productivity, effectiveness and competitiveness. They added that employees are already moving to jobs in other parts of the state sector.

Scope and emergency cover

The collective agreement applies to roughly 1,600 staff members, among them doctors, nurses, paramedics, and technical, administrative and office personnel.

The unions described the strike as a last resort. They said workers would cooperate with services during emergencies and other life-threatening incidents while the strike is under way.