**Hourly-Paid Government Staff Warn Against Changes to Meeting with President**
Hourly-paid government employees in Cyprus have issued a warning to the government regarding any potential alterations to the scheduled meeting between their union representatives and President Nikos Christodoulides. The meeting is set to take place next week, and the staff have indicated that any deviation from this plan could lead to strike action.
This warning comes in the wake of a recent agreement between the government and trade unions, which saw a planned strike over a proposed three-year pay freeze called off. The decision to suspend the strike was contingent upon President Christodoulides agreeing to meet with union representatives on Monday. The unions, particularly the trade union Pasykek-Peo, have made it clear that the suspension of strike measures is not an unconditional agreement and that they expect "intensive and substantive meetings" with Finance Minister Makis Keravnos in the days leading up to the meeting with the President.
The union emphasized that they are committed to the principles and demands they have outlined from the beginning, which include a focus on improving wages and starting salaries for hourly-paid government workers. They have stated unequivocally that they will not accept any changes to the timeline established by the President or any deviation from the agreements made during their previous discussions at the presidential palace.
Concerns have been raised regarding the financial implications of the unions' demands. The finance ministry has indicated that fulfilling these demands could impose an annual cost of approximately €23 million on taxpayers. Currently, the median salary for hourly government staff is reported to be €2,113 per month, which is above the national median salary of €1,968. However, union leaders argue that this figure does not accurately reflect the financial struggles faced by many workers.
George Constantinou, leader of the Oekdy-Sek trade union, pointed out that hourly government workers have seen only a 1.5 percent increase in their pay since 2009, indicating a stagnation in wages over the past years. Additionally, Andreas Antoniou, leader of the Deok union, highlighted that some hourly-paid staff earn as little as €867 per month, which he described as the lowest salary in the country today.
As the situation develops, the unions remain firm in their stance, insisting on the necessity of meaningful dialogue with government representatives to address their concerns about wages and working conditions. The outcome of the forthcoming meeting with President Christodoulides will be closely watched, as it could significantly impact the labor landscape for hourly-paid government employees in Cyprus.
With the potential for strike action looming, both the government and the unions are under pressure to reach a resolution that satisfies the needs of the workers while also considering the financial constraints faced by the state. The upcoming discussions are expected to be critical in determining the future of hourly-paid government staff and their compensation.