Hourly paid public sector workers are preparing to consider an escalation of industrial action after a proposal formally submitted by the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday failed to include general salary increases, their main demand.
Union representatives told Politis that the proposal is unsatisfactory, describing it as inadequate and offering only limited improvements to specific benefits. Final decisions on their next steps are expected on 5 August, when the unions' governing bodies will meet jointly. Escalation of strike measures has not been ruled out.
Stavros Andreou, secretary-general of PASYEK-PEO, said the ministry's proposal is "far below the circumstances and the needs of hourly paid government employees and does not address the workers' basic needs."
"The three trade union organisations, PEO, SEK and DEOK, will meet jointly on 5 August and announce their next steps. A decision to escalate strike action is very likely," he said.
Giorgos Constantinou, secretary-general of OEKDY-SEK, also said the proposal was unacceptable.
"The proposal includes small improvements to certain benefits but does not include general increases, which was one of our main demands," he said.
He stressed that no proposal could be accepted if it does not include salary increases with retrospective effect from 1 January 2025.
According to Constantinou, the three unions have written to the ministry urging it to reconsider its position.
Andreas Antoniou, secretary-general of DEE KDOKO, said the proposal "cannot under any circumstances be accepted in its current form" because it departs significantly from the unions' core demand for general pay rises.
"It does not respond to the growing needs of low-paid public sector workers," he said.
He added that the unions' general councils will meet jointly on 5 August, with escalation of industrial action firmly on the table.
The nine demands
The unions' demands, submitted to the Joint Labour Committee in April 2025, include:
- General pay increases of 2% for 2025, 3% for 2026 and 3% for 2027.
- Application of a minimum increase for hourly paid government employees similar to that granted in the public and wider public sectors.
- Increases to salary scale starting points and abolition of the existing 10% reduction.
- Extension of the guaranteed provident fund contribution to 15.5% from 2013 onwards.
- Paid parental leave through employer salary supplementation.
- Creation of an E11 salary scale for Head Foreman A positions.
- One additional day of annual leave at all grades.
- Inclusion of indefinite-term hourly paid workers in the provident fund.
- Employer-funded medical coverage for services not covered by GeSY.
What the Finance Ministry is offering
According to information obtained by Politis, the Ministry of Finance appears willing to support:
- An additional day of annual leave for most service grades, except the entry grade covering employees with up to five years' service.
- The creation of a medical fund covering treatments and services not included under GeSY.
- The extension of a minimum percentage increase to hourly paid staff whenever general increases are awarded elsewhere.
- Partial satisfaction of the sixth and eighth demands.
The hourly paid government workforce staged its first 24-hour strike since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus on 24 June 2026, seeking meaningful salary increases and improved employment conditions.
