A general strike is set to take place in Cyprus between 11am and 2pm on Thursday, 11 September, to demand the addition of the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA) to collective agreements where it is not already included, and its wider continuation.
The public and semi-government sectors, including schools, hospitals, public transport providers, including those operating school buses for public schools, and ports, as well as the construction sector, hotel sector, and media, are anticipated to participate.
Parents with children at all levels of public school have been instructed to pick them up before the start of the strike action.
Pupils attending all-day schools will have to be brought back at 2pm to continue their lessons, while the Education Ministry also underlined that school lunches will not be served. Community nursery schools are privately-owned and thus will follow instructions by their employers, the Ministry added.
State health services organisation Okypy has said that while state hospitals will be participating in the strike, the Accident & Emergency departments and hospital wards will operate with skeleton staff. All scheduled surgeries will be completed by 11am.
Essential services, including electricity, water, telecommunications, airports, air traffic control, hospitals, prisons and emergency services, will provide minimum service to cover basic needs.
