Unions suspend 48-hour state hospital strike as draft pay deal approved
Six unions have called off the November 10–11 walkout at state hospitals after Okypy's board ratified a draft renewal of their collective agreement. Talks continue on Tuesday.
Six unions have suspended the 48-hour strike they had planned at state hospitals for November 10 and 11, as reported by Cyprus Mail. The decision came at a joint meeting on Friday, after the board of the state health services organisation (Okypy) ratified a draft renewal of their collective agreement in writing.
The deal is not yet sealed: unions will sit down with Okypy again on Tuesday, November 10, to finalise the text and agree a signing date. The walkout had been announced on October 26 over annual pay rises and staffing structure, which the unions tied to understaffing and patient care standards.
Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said consultations had made substantial progress on teleworking, rest leave and service plans, with work continuing on salary grades and organisational structures. The agreement covers about 1,600 doctors, nurses, paramedics and technical and administrative staff.
What it means for residents
For anyone relying on state hospitals, the immediate threat of two days of disruption next week has lifted — but the deal is only a draft, and the Tuesday meeting will decide whether it holds.
- Appointments: planned visits and procedures at state hospitals should go ahead as scheduled, though it is worth confirming closer to the date until the agreement is signed.
- Staffing: the dispute centred on pay scales and personnel structure, which unions link to understaffing — issues that affect waiting times and care quality.
- Next step: watch for the outcome of Tuesday's talks; if they stall, the strike threat could return.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
