EPSU has written to the Minister of Finance to protest about the government's decision to make drastic cuts to nurses' pay and conditions without any preceding dialogue with trade unions and employers’ organisations. The measures include a 15% reduction to all shift benefits of nursing personnel for night shifts and 35% for Sundays and public holidays, as of 1 January 2013. In addition, on 26 September 2013 the government proposed a law which, if voted, would abolish all benefits for evening shifts and it would also entail a further reduction, beyond the initial 15%, on night duty shifts and 50% on Sundays and public holidays as on January 2014. These cuts are on top of more general cuts imposed on health workers. EPSU calls on the government to engage in proper social dialogue and warns of demotivation of workers and the risk of losing qualified staff to other jobs or emigration. Nurses joined other public sectors workers in a protest against austerity measures on Tuesday 29 October.
Read more at > Cyprus Mail (EN)
EPSU protests over pay cuts imposed on nurses
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