State doctors threaten strike over retirement age

State doctors are threatening to strike if there is any move to extend their retirement age to 68.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, their union, PASYKI, said parties had not delved into the serious problems faced by doctors but they have signed the request to extend the retirement age and will put it to the vote.

Doctors want better staffing through recruitment of specialist doctors and not by extending the age of retirement from 65 to 68.

They also said that contract doctors who make up more than 40 per cent of the total, run the risk of not being employed so that high-ranking doctors and clinic directors would stay on.

They also have a problem with the “humiliating amounts” they receive as overtime pay.

PASYKI did not rule out going on strike if the extension of the retirement age went ahead before the issues that they raised were discussed.

Helath Minister Philippos Patsalis said he would invite doctors to a meeting on September 5.

“The effort is to have peace in state hospitals because at the end of the day a strike would harm patients and no one wants that,” he said.

Main opposition AKEL charged that the extension served a certain highly paid group of doctors and the party would not agree to such an arrangement.

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