PASYDY to hold secret ballot on possible industrial action

MEMBERS of civil servants’ union PASYDY will be voting this coming Monday on what response to take if there are any deviations from the agreed economic package when it comes before parliament next Thursday.

Monday’s vote will decide what will happen in the event that any decisions are taken “in the absence of those immediately affected and in violation of statutory procedures.”

The strongest reaction would be for all unions to declare an island-wide indefinite strike.

PASYDY yesterday expressed their expectation that the package “will be respected by the legislative body and there will be no one-sided attempts to propose legislation for further cuts.”  The government submitted six bills to parliament last week as part of an austerity package.

The measures include hikes in income tax, bank deposits interest rates and immovable property.  Newcomers in the civil service are to be included in the social insurance fund on the same conditions as the private sector.

Civil servants – retired or not – will receive a pay cut for three years according to a further bill.

Finally, a VAT increase from 15 to 17 per cent is being proposed.

The opposition has criticised the measures as not being sufficient and yielding too much to union bosses.

Last week, Standard and Poor’s rating agency expressed their concern “as to the extent and efficacy of these measures” and whether the government would manage to actually pass them in parliament.

PASYDY on the other hand “condemned the manifest and growing effort to completely blame on civil servants the consequences of a crisis which they are not responsible.”