The government and civil servants’ union PASYDY are looking at amending the civil service reform passed by parliament, focusing on inter-departmental promotions and the written exam system used at assessment centres.
The Presidential Palace decided on Monday to set up a joint panel including representatives from the Finance Ministry, the Public Service Commission and PASYDY. The panel will record the problems arising, particularly around inter-departmental promotions, and put forward proposals to improve the reform of the state machinery.
By the end of September, the panel’s proposals will be submitted to President Nikos Christodoulides to form the basis for discussions on resolving the problems seen in how the reform is being applied.
The decision was taken at Monday’s meeting between the PASYDY leadership and the president, attended by the finance and labour ministers, the Deputy Minister to the President, the Finance Ministry’s Director-General and other officials.
Workers’ concerns
PASYDY Secretary-General Stratis Matthaiou raised the problems seen with inter-departmental promotions and written exams. According to information gathered by Phileleftheros, Matthaiou told the president that workers are concerned the exam format sidelines candidates’ specialisation and professional experience.
He said candidates are tested on case studies covering the legislation and regulations governing the civil service, as well as aptitude tests. He also said inter-departmental promotions cause a number of problems, since a candidate appointed to a post outside their own department can struggle to cope, lacking familiarity with the subject matter.
Push for permanent status hits legal snag
On the question of granting permanent status to open-ended contract staff, PASYDY was told at Monday’s meeting that a draft bill prepared by a legal adviser on its behalf, and submitted to the Finance Ministry, had been judged unconstitutional by the Law Office.
The union said 4,500 temporary staff currently have no path to advancement or promotion. President Christodoulides assured the PASYDY leadership that the matter would be examined by the relevant authorities.
On converting fixed-term staff to open-ended contracts, President Christodoulides asked for clarification on a Labour Court ruling concerning staff at the Department of Migration.
PASYDY believes there is a precedent for the issue, pointing to the change in status of ΣΥΟΠ staff and teachers working in the Education Ministry’s support programmes. The Department of Public Administration and Personnel will prepare a study on this.
Building conditions and digital transformation
The meeting also covered the state of the civil service’s building infrastructure, with the PASYDY Secretary-General describing conditions in some services as third-world, citing the Interior Ministry and the Social Welfare Services as examples.
According to Matthaiou, the meeting discussed plans for the gradual construction of new government buildings. However, he said this cannot happen immediately, as it depends on the state’s financial capacity. PASYDY also called for the state’s digital transformation to be accelerated.
The PASYDY Secretary-General said the union is seeking a modern, high-quality civil service that is efficient and responsive to citizens and businesses.
SHSO problems raised, security forces talks to follow
Monday’s meeting also raised the problems facing staff at SHSO (OKYpY).
Problems facing security forces staff will be discussed at later meetings between PASYDY and the president.
