Nicosia, Tuesday.
CYPRUS'S 15,000 civil servants began a 24-hour strike over pay today,
stopping all commercial flights in and out of the Mediterranean island.
Larnaca airport had 34 cancellations and Paphos six, a a civil
aviation official said.
Cyprus Airways, the national carrier, cancelled 13 flights, mostly
from London, Athens, and Dubai. Hundreds of holidaymakers were stranded.
The strike took effect at midnight yesterday. Hospital units and air
traffic control centres would handle emergencies only, the public
servants' union leader said last night.
Andreas Polyviou told a press conference today that the Government was
violating international labour agreements.
''This is only a warning. We are giving the Government enough time to
reconsider but we cannot rule out stronger measures,'' he said.
The civil servants demand immediate implementation of an agreement
with the previous Government for a 5.25% rise for the period 1992-94 on
top of statutory inflation-linked rises.
President Glafcos Clerides, who defeated the last Government in
elections in February, wants a three-year freeze of the extra allowance.
He has spoken of organising a public referendum and warned he could
impose a freeze by law on all public sector employees.
A Government spokesman said the strike would cost an estimated
C#1.3m.--Reuter.
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