CYPRUS LOOKS set for flight chaos as air traffic controllers yesterday announced a 12-hour strike for tomorrow in protest at their inclusion in the government’s austerity measures.
The Cyprus Air Traffic Controllers Union (PASEEK) said air traffic controllers at Larnaca and Paphos airports would stage a 12-hour warning strike tomorrow, from 9am to 9pm, as a result of the expected vote by parliament to adopt austerity measures which do not include special provisions for them.
The union added that air traffic controllers at the Nicosia Area Control Centre responsible for the overseeing the Nicosia Flight Information Region will abstain from working overtime, likely to result in further delays.
It warned that measures may escalate according to developments.
The strike will affect all flights to and from Larnaca and Paphos airports, except for VIP, military, medical or relief flights. Flights with technical problems and emergency and search and rescue flights will also be unaffected.
Head of the union Giorgos Georgiou told the Cyprus Mail last night that the government and parliament had failed to understand that all payments related to the salaries and benefits of controllers are paid by the airlines in an agreement which covers the period up to 2014.
Any effort to change that agreement by reducing the money given to air traffic controllers will result in the airlines seeking that money back from the government, meaning zero advantage to the state. In fact, state coffers are set to lose from any such move as the government will end up collecting less tax revenue than originally planned, he argued.
“Right now, the government pays our salaries and the airlines pay the government. In other words, they are saving zero through these measures,” said Georgiou.
“The government won’t get anything from us, and will lose money in tax revenue as we pay 30-40 per cent in taxes,” he added.
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 government has now decided to revoke that exemption and include them in a two-year pay and Cost of Living Allowance freeze.
The measures are due to be voted in parliament today.
Spokesman for Hermes Airports, the island’s airport operator, Adamos Aspris, said last night: “it is a truly sad development, the consequences of which will be huge since we expect it to effect dozens of flights to and from Cyprus and thousands of passengers.”
He added: “We hope wiser thoughts prevail and that all involved parties realise the enormity of the damage caused by such a strike and use the next few hours to reach a compromise solution and avoid the worst.”
Georgiou rubbished reports that air traffic controllers receive an average gross salary of around €100,000 a year, saying the vast majority are on the same pay grade as school teachers.
