Health worker unions on Wednesday are gathering for a general strike with protests outside all state hospitals expected to start at 8.30am.
Unions Sek, Peo, Deok, Pasydy, Pasyno and Pasyki rejected on Tuesday a new proposal of the state health organisation (Okypy) on a collective labour agreement and are proceeding with their planned strike which is to last from 7am to 3pm.
Government spokesman, Constantinos Letymbiotis, speaking before a failed eleventh-hour meeting to prevent the strike, said, “Everyone must take responsibility for the implementation, sustainability and success of the national health system, with the highest priority being the upgrading of the quality of services provided.”
The workers, however, stated the strike is going ahead since the latest proposal by Okypy did not substantially differ from previous proposals rejected by the unions.
The organisation had expected a more positive response from the unions, Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou, told the Cyprus News Agency.
Okypy has announced that appointments and surgery have been postponed and will be rescheduled, while a skeleton staff will be working at the hospitals.