Rolandis warns more strikes will kill Cyprus Airways

COMMERCE Minister Nicos Rolandis yesterday warned that any further strikes at Cyprus Airways (CY) would ground the national carrier for good.

And as if to spite the minister, the union representing CY technical staff, Asyseka, approved strike action at an extraordinary general conference yesterday.

The debt-ridden airline, with a long history of labour strife, was rocked this month when pilots union Pasipy called a three-day strike. The action was averted after CY bosses vowed to bring in foreign planes and crews to take over during the strike.

Neither the national carrier nor the economy could survive more strikes, Rolandis said yesterday.

“This is not a threat but a plea: if they (workers) are not careful they will destroy their company, lose their jobs, and do damage to the economy of the country,” the minister told ANT1 television.

Rolandis’s statements were given short thrift by Costas Demetriou, the leader of CY cabin and ground staff union Cynika.

The minister should address himself to the real culprits, CY management, rather than picking on employees, Demetriou said.

Oblivious to all this, Asyseka members voted yesterday evening to call a strike at a date to be decided by the union executive. The union is angered by what it sees as management’s failure to take their views into consideration or consider their members for promotion.

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