Public and wider public sector employees who took part in last month’s paralyzing three-hour island-wide strike over a cost-of-living allowance dispute (CoLA) will see deductions from their salaries in March.
Thousands of workers across all sectors went on strike o January 26 over an impasse between the government and unions on the full restoration of CoLA. The message was that unions were not willing to yield.
However, the Accountant General of the Republic in a circular on Tuesday informed that the deduction of the corresponding amount from salaries will be made in the March payroll.
Rea Georgiou also called on those responsible in the ministries, deputy ministries, independent authorities and government departments to fill in relevant lists accompanying the circular by February 17.
Specifically, the lists will have the names of those officials and civil servants who did not take part in the work stoppage.
Prior to the stoppage, the Department of Public Administration and Personnel had informed the employees that those who would be absent from work without securing leave would be subjected to a deduction of salary.
In fact, a circular had been issued stating that “in the event of strikes, work stoppages or events involving a stoppage of work during normal working hours in the public service without prior authorisation, a proportionate part of the salary of the employees participating in them would be deducted”.
Insiders told Philenews it was easier to prepare lists of those government employees who did not participate in the strike as their number is small.
This is not the first time that the salaries of workers who participated in strikes are reduced.
