Initial deal reached for Okypy workers

A preliminary agreement between the state health services Okypy and trade unions representing employees at state hospitals over collective agreements has been reached, according to a statement released by trade union Sek on Monday.

The agreement concerns the establishment for the first collective agreement for staff who were hired under personal contracts since the organisation’s inception.

“The new collective agreement will cover administrative, secretarial staff, nurses, doctors and other employees hired on individual contracts,” the statement said.

The agreement aims to regulate employment terms collectively, providing new career prospects and stability for Okypy employees.

The final text of the agreement is expected to be sent to the unions on Tuesday, with the signing date to be scheduled soon, according to Sek.

“The efforts of more unions over the past three years have been vindicated, thus creating new opportunities for Okypy staff,” Sek said.

Negotiations for collective agreements have been ongoing for three years, resulting in several strikes carried out by workers.

Okypy postponed a scheduled meeting with the unions over collective agreements at the last minute on September 5. The meeting, set by the organisation in mid-July, was originally delayed to allow more time for preparation.

Following interventions from the health ministry and several months of discussions, the unions submitted their final proposal on June 10, reflecting compromises made during the process. Okypy did not respond and postponed the meeting scheduled for June 13 to September 5, only to postpone once again it to the end of September.