THE UNIONS of semi-government organisations (SGOs) have agreed to go ahead with a 24-hour warning strike on Monday followed by an indefinite strike on January 20.
Employees of SGOs, including those from the Electricity Authority, CyTA, the Water Board and CyBC, look set to go ahead with crippling strike measures after their two unions agreed to a common approach to the dispute with the government over the renewal of collective agreements.
Leaders of left-wing PEO and right-wing SEK agreed on a common position on Tuesday night after Labour Minister Christos Taliadoros announced that the two sides had reached a deadlock in talks.
In the final phase of drawn-out negotiations this week, the government stuck to its guns offering the unions a three-year contract (2004-2006) entailing a two per cent wage rise in 2006, as part of its convergence plan objectives to implement wage freezes across the board, curb state spending and increase revenue.
Both unions rejected the offer, accusing the government of backtracking from earlier proposals after getting the approval of the powerful civil service union, PASYDY, to a similar contract last week. The agreement set the wage increase for civil servants to two per cent in 2006 and included provisions on the raising of the retirement age from 60 to 63.
Taliadoros maintained the gap between the two sides over the SGO agreements was too wide to bridge, leaving no option but to call a deadlock. He reminded the unions that they were bound to an agreement signed last March whereby the ruling of an arbitration committee would have to be heard before employees of ‘essential services’ like electricity, telecommunications and water supply could go on strike.
Despite the reminder, SEK and PEO leaders agreed to launch a 24-hour strike on Monday, though they have yet to announce which services and how many employees would be engaged. Following the warning strike, union leaders intend to put before their members the possibility of an indefinite strike starting from January 20.
Acting head of state and House President Demetris Christofias yesterday refused to comment on the prospect of a phone and light black out next week, telling reporters that the issue was not over yet and that “there is still scope” for a solution before Monday.
Interior Minister and acting Health Minister Andreas Christou said the Labour Minister had done all he could to solve the problem before announcing a deadlock. “We are convinced that in exercising their right to strike, both employees and unions will take into serious consideration the sensitive nature of the services they belong to and won’t leave any Cypriot citizen exposed,” said Christou.
