Okypy and unions keep talking to head off 48-hour health strike
State health services staff are set to walk out on November 10 and 11 unless last-minute talks resolve a dispute over pay scales and staffing structures.
Negotiations between the State Health Services Organisation (Okypy) and six unions are still under way in an effort to prevent a 48-hour walkout by roughly 1,600 employees on November 10 and 11, as reported by Cyprus Mail. The unions involved — Pasyidy, SEK, PEO, DEOK, Pasyki and Pasyno — put off a planned Wednesday press briefing because talks were ongoing.
According to Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou, the two sides have made headway on teleworking, annual leave and schemes of service, and talks are continuing on salary scales and organisational structures left over from the previous collective agreement. The dispute also covers renewal of that agreement for 2026–2027 and how pay scales should be applied from 2028.
“The organisation’s priority is its people, its staff and their wellbeing,” Charilaou told the Cyprus News Agency.
The unions have not yet said whether the progress made is enough to call off the strike, which would still leave emergency and life-threatening cases covered. A further sticking point is Okypy’s proposal to tie part of annual pay rises to performance assessments, while nurses’ unions insist that collective agreements covering both current and overseas-recruited nursing staff cannot be renegotiated.
What it means for residents
A two-day stoppage would affect hospitals and health centres islandwide, so anyone with appointments, tests or non-urgent procedures on November 10 and 11 should plan around it. Emergency cover is promised, but routine services may slow down or be rescheduled.
- Check your bookings. Contact your clinic or doctor before those dates to confirm whether your appointment stands.
- Refill prescriptions early. If you rely on regular medication, make sure you have enough to last through the strike days.
- Keep urgent cases moving. Life-threatening situations are meant to be covered, so do not delay calling for emergency help if you need it.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
