Staff hired directly by the State Health Services Organisation (OKYpY) will hold a 48-hour strike on 10 and 11 November, following a deadlock in negotiations to renew their collective agreement and what the unions describe as the failure to implement agreed provisions of the previous agreement.
The decision was taken unanimously at staff meetings and affects around 1,600 people, including doctors, nurses, and paramedical, technical, administrative and clerical staff at public hospitals.
According to a joint announcement by the unions, staff discontent centres on the failure to honour the provisions of the 2023–2025 collective agreement, particularly with regard to annual pay rises and the establishment of staffing structures.
The unions link this outstanding issue to the wider problem of understaffing at public hospitals, arguing that the absence of agreed structures affects both staff career progression and the effective functioning of the organisation.
Deadlock over pay scales
At the same time, negotiations to renew the collective agreement for 2026–2027 have also reached a deadlock.
According to the unions, OKYpY insists on an advance commitment to the methodology for applying pay scales from 2028, setting this as a precondition for renewing the agreement.
The unions make clear that, although they have submitted specific proposals and remain open to dialogue, they will not accept advance commitments on future arrangements while, as they point out, obligations under the previous collective agreement remain outstanding.
Their main demand is the implementation of pay scales and agreed staffing structures, to ensure staff salary and career progression. They also argue that implementing these arrangements would boost OKYpY’s productivity and competitiveness within the General Healthcare System (Gesy).
They warn that the current situation is leading staff to resign and making it harder to attract new personnel, who instead turn to the public service or other semi-government organisations.
What happens to patients
The unions acknowledge that the 48-hour strike is expected to disrupt patient services, but stress that they will cooperate with the relevant services to ensure that emergency and life-threatening cases are dealt with.
They describe the strike as a last resort and call on OKYpY’s management to respond to their proposals so that an agreement can be reached before 10 November.
Otherwise, they warn, staff have already authorised the unions to escalate measures further.
The joint announcement is signed by OEKDY SEK, PASYDY, PASYEK PEO, DEE KDOKO DEOK, PASYNO and PASYKI.
