DOCKERS and stevedores at Larnaca harbour have threatened to step up their strike action if they do not receive specific government proposals to solve the port’s problems by today.
The strike committee reached the decision during a Sek, Peo and Deok union meeting yesterday.
After the meeting, Sek’s Omiros Neocleous yesterday told CyBC radio that “the measures taken will depend on what the joint committee decides.” He was referring to the joint Communications and Commerce Ministries’ committee appointed to discuss the harbour issue.
Strikers also resolved to keep the harbour entrance blocked with loading machinery as they have done since the beginning of the strike.
The workers yesterday announced some of the measures that would be taken if a response is not received by today.
These include a Thursday afternoon blockade of the vehicles of local officials invited to watch a demonstration by a French war ship moored at the harbour. The officials themselves will, however, be allowed to enter on foot.
That same day, strikers will present a memorandum on the strike to the Communications Ministry and to House president Spyros Kyprianou.
On Friday, pickets will congregate to receive their strike wages and on Monday they will march to the Presidential Palace.
Strikers have repeatedly insisted that they cannot wait for the return of the Communications Ministry’s secretary-general, Nicos Symeonides, to receive an answer to their demands.
Symeonides is currently overseas and will return to Cyprus on February 19.
It was also yesterday announced that the strikers had refused a private company’s appeal to exclude earth-carrying ships from the strikes. The company said it was afraid its customers would to turn to harbours in the occupied areas for service if the strike continued.
The 150 harbour employees have been demonstrating over their uncertain future since the beginning of the month. They complain of being underemployed and want the implementation of a Development Committee decision to modernise the harbour, guaranteeing them work for two to four years.
They are also demonstrating against a delay in voluntary redundancy packages for those willing to give up their positions.
