Cyprus public sector workers launch strikes over labor and safety issues

Public sector workers in Cyprus have initiated a series of strikes and protests addressing critical issues in education and social welfare.

In the education sector, the Cyprus Turkish Teachers' Union (KTÖS) has protested against rising violence in schools, blaming the Ministry of Education for failing to implement necessary safety measures and a long-awaited School-Parent Agreement. Teachers also reported harassment and physical aggression, citing overcrowded classrooms and insufficient guidance as contributing factors. Additionally, the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers' Union (KTOEÖS) held strikes in Kyrenia over the unsustainability of full-day education due to infrastructure and staffing shortages, as well as rights losses following new social security and migration laws.

Simultaneously, social welfare officers and support program workers have launched 24-hour strikes. Social welfare workers, represented by the 'Isotita' union, are demanding increased staffing, better infrastructure, and improved safety to manage heavy workloads, with some officers handling up to 150 cases each. Support program workers are protesting for the formalization of their employment status and the establishment of summer allowances, warning of further nationwide strikes if government commitments remain unfulfilled.