Bus drivers to vote on latest offer after labour minister meeting
The Larnaca bus driver strike entered its tenth day on Friday. Following a lengthy meeting on Thursday between union representatives and Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou, the drivers are set to hold a new general assembly on Friday morning to decide on the latest proposal put before them.
On Thursday afternoon, a long discussion took place at the minister’s office with representatives from trade unions Sek, Peo and Deok.
According to the Cyprus News Agency, the meeting provided important clarifications regarding the scheduling cards used for bus routes. It was confirmed that if any objections arise about the cards under the collective agreement, these will not be put into effect.
Furthermore, any concerns about the practical operation of the scheduling cards will be examined by the relevant ministries. The timetable for assessing break times and routes has also been put forward, with a review expected during the last ten days of August.
The new proposal to be presented to the striking drivers during their assembly includes a key concession: drivers will retain the one-hour break that was previously disputed by the company. Overtime will be paid for any work beyond seven hours and thirty-six minutes, starting from the very first minute. Additionally, breaks that were not previously recorded on the scheduling cards, and thus not paid for by the company, will now be included and compensated.
Earlier in the strike, the drivers rejected a mediation proposal from the labour ministry. That initial offer aimed to set clear rules around working hours, overtime payments and break times, on condition that any new work schedules must be shared with employee representatives within 48 working hours. These new schedules were to be submitted by September 3, with work and break times clearly recorded two working days after the end of the strike.
State authorities responsible for labour will assess the scheduling of breaks within the existing legal framework and propose any necessary improvements. For example, for route 413, the break will be taken at Kofinou station.
The striking drivers continue to demand the full implementation of the 38-hour working week, as agreed and stated in their collective agreement.