Hourly paid government employees will stage a 24-hour nationwide strike next Wednesday after trade unions accused the finance ministry of delaying negotiations on a new agreement covering the period from 2025 to 2027.

The decision was announced by the unions representing hourly paid state workers, who said efforts to renew the agreement have stalled despite proposals being submitted more than a year ago.

The unions argue that repeated delays have prevented substantive discussions on pay and working conditions for one of the lowest paid groups in the public sector.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the civil servants’ union (Oekdy-Sek), the worker’s federation (Peo), and the democratic labour union (Deok) said the finance ministry has failed to engage in meaningful dialogue, adding that the reasons put forward for the delay do not justify the prolonged absence of negotiations.

The dispute centres on demands for salary increases and improved employment benefits.

Union representatives argue that many hourly paid government employees receive wages close to Cyprus’ statutory minimum wage and face increasing difficulty meeting basic living expenses.

According to the unions, approximately 7,500 hourly paid employees work across ministries and government departments, while a further 1,700 are employed by the state health services organisation (Okypy).

The workforce includes employees in technical, maintenance, operational and support roles.

The unions said improving salaries and conditions is essential to ensuring a “decent standard of living” for workers, describing hourly paid personnel as among the lowest paid categories of employees in the country.

They called on the government to implement measures that provide tangible support and to conclude negotiations on a renewed agreement without further delay.

The issue has been a source of tension for more than a year, as union organisations have previously argued that hourly paid employees are often paid less than workers performing comparable duties in the private sector.

In their statement, union representatives said it is the first time since the Republic’s establishment that the renewal of a collective agreement for hourly paid government staff has been delayed to such an extent without a mutually acceptable settlement being reached.

The finance ministry has promoted efforts to manage public expenditure, though unions maintain that low paid state workers should not bear the burden of prolonged negotiations.

The unions warned that if progress is not made and an agreement is not reached for the 2025 to 2027 period, further industrial action will follow.