Strike action looms over pilot deadlock

CYPRUS Airways (CA) pilots yesterday would not rule out strike action early in the New Year after reaching deadlock in negotiations for a new collective agreement.

Following a meeting at the Labour Ministry, Pasipy pilots union president Spyros Mercouris said a deadlock had been declared, “leaving the way open for each side to take whatever action it deemed necessary”.

Negotiations failed because the union would not accept a number of terms proposed by the company for the renewal of the agreement.

Management demands included a 10 per cent pay cut, a three-year wage freeze and non-payment of the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA).

Despite the deadlock, Mercouris promised the pilots would not engage in strike action over the Christmas holiday period.

“For the time being, there are no plans to strike because we don’t want to disturb the Christmas schedules,” he said.

“But we don’t rule out anything.”

The union will meet next week to discuss the latest developments.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.