Doctors’ unions disagree over retirement at 65

THE TWO trade unions for public sector doctors, PASYKI and PASYDY, have diverging policy on the age of retirement for their members.

The Doctors’ Branch of PASYDY is set against extending the retirement age to 65 under any circumstances. At the same time, it is putting forward a demand that years spent abroad by its members in any other EU country to obtain a medical specialisation should count towards their term of public service, and so towards their pension.

On the other hand, PASYKI made the same demand to the Finance Ministry a few years ago, and after this was turned down, the union decided to enter into negotiations over extending the retirement age to 65.

The negotiations are continuing without representatives of PASYDY, which claims the government has sidelined it on this issue. According to press reports, PASYDY Doctors’ Branch President Agathoklis Christofides said that PASYDY “has never participated in PASYKI’s negotiations because it has never been invited to give its view, despite asking for months for specific meetings”.

The paradox is that both unions have the same motive for their different positions: to ensure that their members complete the 33 years service necessary for drawing a full pension.

Christofides said that “there is no way that PASYDY doctors will agree to extend the retirement age to 65 with the aim of covering the years of service needed for a full pension”, adding that his union’s demand for years spent abroad to count towards public service “is our demand, and this is what we will support to the end.”

Christofides also said that his union had referred the matter to Ombudswoman Iliana Nicolaou, “whose answer leads to the conclusion that in order for doctors’ years of service abroad to be recognised, first of all the law would need to be changed.”

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