Air traffic controllers set to strike on Thursday

LARNACA and Paphos air traffic controllers have announced a 12-hour strike on Thursday, from 9am to 9pm, as a result of the expected vote by parliament to adopt austerity measures without making special provisions for air traffic controllers.

The Pancyprian air traffic controllers union (PASEEK) said that on the day of the strike the air traffic controllers will abstain from working overtime at the Nicosia Area Control Centre, and that measures may escalate according to developments.

The strike will affect all flights to and from Larnaca and Paphos airports, except for VIP, military, hospital or relief flights.

Flights with technical problems and emergency and search and rescue flights will also be unaffected.

Last week PASEEK protested the government’s intention to include them in the first round of measures, which was imposed in the summer.

The controllers had been exempted from the law passed in August for a temporary contribution to the state by civil servants.

However, the overwhelming majority – 87 out of 97 air traffic controllers – have been contributing their share voluntarily.

The reason for the initial exemption was that their income, as they say, is fully covered by airlines using Cypriot airspace and had they been included it would have meant less revenues for the state.

Air-traffic staff also complained about being included in the two-year pay freeze.

“If the finance ministry proposal is adopted by parliament, the state will lose around €5.0 million by 2014, since the amount would have to be returned to the airline companies,” PASEEK said in a statement.

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