Strike looms as hospital staff and Okypy clash over labour demands

[memory man]

Hospital staff are to go on an eight-hour strike on October 25 as the spat between trade unions and the state health services (Okypy) remains unresolved.

he strike, scheduled for between 7am-3pm, is necessary and further action may be required, the joint announcement from the trade unions stated.

“Unfortunately, Okypy has left us no other option other than dynamic action from the workers until their struggle is vindicated,” Sek, Peo, Pasydy, Deok, Pasyki, and Pasyno, said on Saturday.

They emphasised that all of Okypy’s workers across all professions are to participate in the strike.

The trade unions further warned that their strike action may be increased should Okypy not resolve their labour demands, such as on collective agreements.

The decision to proceed with strike action was taken on September 21 when the trade unions accused Okypy of being dismissive towards is employees and the trade union movement.

They also alleged obstructionism within the organisation, while highlighting inconsistencies in Okypy’s past commitments.

However, Okypy denies this, with spokesman Charalambos Charilaou telling the Cyprus Mail last month that discussions regarding a new agreement had been going on since the beginning of July and that the organisation has been clear on the parameters it has set.

“The unions want the agreements and pay rises to be exactly the same as they were when they were employed as public sector workers, but this is not possible”, he said.

He said any agreement must conform to four specific parameters, but that unions have not yet accepted this.

https://cyprus-mail.com/2023/10/14/stri ... r-demands/

[Kili01]

Oh dear, having just returned from the UK where the workers unions are backing strikes,the frequent strikes have near paralysed the NHS. Though the nurses have accepted a pay rise, it's the turn of the doctors, both Consultants and Junior Doctor's to strike for more pay thus paralysing their hospitals.
I really hope this won't happen here.

Dee

[WHL]

Oh dear, having just returned from the UK where the workers unions are backing strikes,the frequent strikes have near paralysed the NHS. Though the nurses have accepted a pay rise, it's the turn of the doctors, both Consultants and Junior Doctor's to strike for more pay thus paralysing their hospitals.
I really hope this won't happen here.

Dee

My daughter is a consultant in UK hospital and this is the first she has heard about going on strike ?
In fact she has been working all the hours God has sent to cover for the junior doctors striking recently.

[galexinda]

Oh dear, having just returned from the UK where the workers unions are backing strikes,the frequent strikes have near paralysed the NHS. Though the nurses have accepted a pay rise, it's the turn of the doctors, both Consultants and Junior Doctor's to strike for more pay thus paralysing their hospitals.
I really hope this won't happen here.

Dee

My daughter is a consultant in UK hospital and this is the first she has heard about going on strike ?
In fact she has been working all the hours God has sent to cover for the junior doctors striking recently.

Yes, when you are working 24 hours shifts it is easy to become isolated from what is happening around you - having a break and a decent meal is a priority but can sometimes be a rarity! Not a doctor but worked a busy 24 hour shift system over 7 days for many years.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2023/09/nhs- ... ts-strike/

There was quite extensive coverage in the UK media at the time - unfortunately all that happens is that the patient suffers and early diagnoses can be missed. That is if they are fortunate to see a doctor and have the necessary tests and treatment.

We are so fortunate having GESY in Cyprus - let's hope the system continues to be fine tuned.
Still early days as it only came into being in June 2019.

[memory man]

All staff at state hospitals on strike on Wednesday, between 7am and 3pm

Doctors and nurses strike at all state hospitals went on strike early on Wednesday after an eleventh-hour meeting between the state health services organisation (Okypy) and trade union representatives failed to reach agreement.

The eight-hour strike by the some 7,000 staff is between 7am and 3pm as last-minute efforts by Okypy for the strike to be averted fell on deaf ears.

Even though Okypy underlined its commitment to conclude a collective agreement within the framework of legislation and regulations that govern it.

However, Peo trade union representative Nikos Gregoriou described Okypy’s calls and last-minute efforts as a variation of the same proposal they have been making for the last few years.

Georgiou also said they have known about the strike for a month but waited until the last minute to underline their commitment to conclude a collective agreement within the framework of legislation and regulations that govern it.

Oklypy has specifically proposed a collective agreement “with a guaranteed rate of increase to all staff each year, in addition to the indexation allowance.”

As well as an additional annual increase without a salary ceiling, resulting from the achievement of its objectives and individual evaluations.

https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/local/a ... m-and-3pm/

[WHL]

The health ministry needs to look at how much hospital workers earn, and the amount the GESY GPs etc are raking in, we have a family friend who is a GP and the amount of wages they are receiving since GESY kicked in is eye watering.

[Aargent]

Have just come back from the General where we got our COVID and Flu injections and visited the Pharmacy. Both these department were operating as normal although there was a small crowd of workers and two Ambulances outside A&E.

[Kili01]

I believe that all the hospital employees unions are collectively on strike today between 7am-3 or 5pm. Surely the medical staff (doctors & nurses are the first priority, but apparently according to what I read, the cleaners et al are also included.
I never think Paphos Hospital looks very clean, and the toilets can be revolting.
Also according to my friends experience while in hospital, the nurses on the night shift liked to sleep on camp beds, instead of answering patients call bells in their ward.
Which if true is shocking.
Dee

[trevnhil]

The 'sleeping on night shift' was happening when I was in the General in 2007. And again I agree that it is not what you would call clean. These are reasons why I refused to have a recent operation there..

[Firefly]

When I was in there for three months, in 2008 it was the worst experience of my life. Filthy toilets, the standard of nursing, if you could call it that, in some wards was dreadful, dangerous even. Bells rarely answered during the night, although you could hear the staff talking and laughing somewhere.

I hope that someone in authority got a grip and changed Paphos General around, as I was very lucky to survive my experience there. If it hadn't been for one wonderful surgeon, who finally diagnosed my condition, and operated for six hours one Sunday morning, I wouldn't be here now.

[Kili01]

Yes have always heard the surgical expertise at Paphos General is first class, but is let down by the awful nursing. It seems as if nothing much has changed there over the years.
The hospital still looks run down and needs a really thorough deep clean.

My friend was in there last year for two weeks last year.She said the surgeon saved her life.But the first week after was an absolute nightmare with apathetic nurses who did very little for her.

Dee