The State Health Services Organisation (SHSO) and trade unions have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective agreement following extensive negotiations.
The meeting, which began yesterday morning and concluded in the afternoon, resulted in a preliminary accord that awaits formal approval from union members today.
Sources indicate that workers have secured most of their demands regarding wage increases. The issue of hierarchical structures in hospital clinics has also been reintroduced to the dialogue with set timelines.
The negotiations took place against a backdrop of a two-hour work stoppage at Nicosia General Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department, where staff protested against a recent murder attempt against healthcare workers. At the same time, the Pancyprian Nurses’ Union met with the President of the Republic to present the positions of state hospital nurses.
Key points of the tentative agreement include:
- Wage increases of 2.5% for 2023 and 2.75% for 2024-2025 for SHSO contract workers.
- Modification of a clause linking productivity and employee evaluation to annual salary increases from 2026 onwards.
- Commitment to dialogue on developing an evaluation scheme linked to salary increases before the expiry of the 2023-2025 contract.
- Inclusion of provisions for resuming dialogue on establishing hierarchical structures in state hospital departments and clinics, with deadlines set for the end of the year for doctors and April 2025 for other professionals.
Union representatives stated that some details remain pending, which both sides will review today with the aim of finalising the agreement and setting a date for signing the collective contract.
Official announcements and a potential suspension of the previously announced 24-hour strike are expected today, pending the final approval of the agreement.
In a separate development, workers at Nicosia’s A&E department have called for 24-hour police presence following a serious violent attack over the weekend.
Staff representatives emphasised the need for enhanced security measures, stating that the current private security arrangements are insufficient to intervene effectively in such situations.
