SUNDAY’S municipal elections will take place, the government said yesterday, despite teacher and civil service unions urging their members not to work on the day, in an apparent bid to disrupt the poll.
But it appeared yesterday that many PASYDY members would not heed their union’s recommendation.
Speaking after a meeting with election and party officials, Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis said the election procedure was the most important expression of democracy “and cannot be suspended”.
Authorities, in cooperation with political parties, are looking into tackling personnel problems should members of PASYDY decide not to show up on Sunday.
“We will make every effort so that Sunday’s elections are carried out without any problem, or if you want, problems will be minimised,” the minister said.
The union, which staged a 12-hour strike yesterday, supposedly over an austerity package, had also urged its members not to work in the elections.
Secondary school teachers’ union OELMEK also asked its members to refuse to work.
Chief returning officer Andreas Assiotis yesterday made a final plea to PASYDY to rethink its position only to be told that the decision was “final and irrevocable”.
PASYDY said it was not possible, under the circumstances, to convene the union’s council of representatives, which took the initial decision on Wednesday.
Assiotis also urged the 1,401 returning officers, who have been appointed at the polling stations, to respond by 9am today whether they want to work.
The same goes for the clerical staff.
PASYDY has urged its members not to participate “but it has not banned them from taking part. Consequently we think it is up to each one of the employees who have been appointed whether they are going to work or not,” Assiotis said.
He later told the Cyprus Mail that the number of civil servants who confirmed they would work on Sunday was high yesterday afternoon.
The number of returning officers, the most important job at a polling station, was around 55 per cent.
The people staffing polling stations are trained and any substitutes would have to receive a crash-course today and Saturday.
Some 8,000 staff including 750 police officers are needed for the election process.
The extra pay for the staff at the polling station starts from €320 gross for clerks, €475 for assistant returning officers and €530 for returning officers.
And those who fail to show up when they have already said they want to take part would be considered irresponsible and may not be used again.
“Their behaviour will not be considered responsible and consistent towards the state, which has accepted their request and they will be informed that they will not be used in the next election,” Assiotis said.
Sylikiotis said this was not a threat.
A threat would be mulling disciplinary measures for no-shows, the minister said, something, which the government was not considering.
He said the state could use private sector workers if it wanted but using the civil service was a practice in place for decades.
“But when one declares they want to participate, they cannot refuse this,” especially if the request was made two days before the elections, Sylikiotis said.
Authorities are looking to cover any staff shortcomings with workers from the broader state sector who will be asked to express interest depending on the replies they get from the civil servants who have already been appointed.
Assiotis also rubbished rumours that those working on Sunday will not be paid but will receive time off in lieu.
“There is no such intention,” he told reporters.
