Along with tens of thousands of school pupils, hospital patients and others seeking state and semi-government services, more than 15,000 passengers due to take over 50 flights at Larnaca and Paphos airports are expected to be impacted by the three-hour general strike that will take place in Cyprus today.
Encompassing the public and semi-government sectors, including schools and hospitals, as well as public transport and the hotel and construction industries, among others, the general strike is set to take place between 11am and 2pm, to demand the addition of the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA) to collective agreements where it is not already included, and its wider continuation.
While the state and employer associations are not in full agreement with each other over the issue, the government and employer organisations, including the Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) and Cyprus Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI), have called on unions to reconsider the strike action and continue dialogue on the issue.
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 in the strike action.
At noon, unions are also scheduled to stage demonstrations in all cities at the following locations:
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Nicosia: Ministry of Finance
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Limassol: District Administration Offices
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Larnaca: District Administration Offices
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Paralimni: District Labour Office
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Paphos: District Administration Offices
Parents with children at all levels of public school, meanwhile, 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 from their employers, the Ministry added.
Essential services, including electricity, water, telecommunications, airports, air traffic control, hospitals, prisons and emergency services, will provide minimum service to cover basic needs.
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 11a while outpatient clinics will close, and non-urgent surgeries will be suspended.
A spokesman from Hermes Airports, meanwhile, said over 15,000 passengers due to have taken more than 50 flights had been impacted.
Airlines had been rescheduling the affected flights and would inform passengers accordingly, he said. Passengers were also "advised to contact their airline, travel agent, or ground handling companies directly to inquire about the new departure or arrival time of their flight.
According to a Hermes Airports spokesperson, as soon as the rescheduling of flights is completed, relevant information will be posted on the home page of the Hermes Airports website.
Ports will operate with the minimum staff required by law for essential services, ensuring that only absolutely necessary port operations are carried out.
The Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (Cyta) and the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) will also operate with skeleton staff to ensure uninterrupted telecommunications and electricity supply during the strike hours.
In other parts of the economy, the hotel industry and construction sector are expected to be partly affected. However, it remains unclear how many private-sector employees will join the mobilisation.
