House President and Disy leader Annita Demetriou on Tuesday said she planned to table a proposal to institutionalise minimum operating levels in essential services during industrial action.

The move comes amid an extended strike in the cement industry, unrest in the hotel sector, and a 48-hour strike by government doctors that began earlier on Tuesday.

Regulating strikes in essential services has been a hot topic on and off for decades with moves to incorporate it into law being undermined by the universal right to strike.

Disy, in particular, has tried several times to introduce legislation to regulate but has fallen foul of left-wing Akel and other parties opposed to the move, including the powerful trade unions.

An attempt by then Disy leader Averof Neophytou in 2016 was blocked in this way.

The most recent try, in 2019, was by then president Nicos Anastasiades, a former Disy leader, when he told the Electricity Authority of Cyprus unions if they went ahead with a planned strike, he would consider drafting a law regulating strikes at essential services. But it was seen as an empty threat.

An agreement had been reached in 2004 as an alternative to a law governing strikes at essential services at the behest of the unions, which opposed legislation. It was ultimately incorporated into the Industrial Relations Code instead but has not proved very effective, widely ignored by striking workers.

Demetriou said on Tuesday it was high time to institutionalise the measure. 

She called on the government and in particular the labour minister to immediately start consultation within the framework of the labour advisory council to determine the sectors judged to be essential.

“The life of a fellow human being, who may today need immediate medical attention, is non-negotiable for Disy,” she said.

She said the right to strike was respected but at the same time life, health and safety must be protected.

The plan, she said was titled The Implementation of Minimum Levels of Operation of Essential Services and would be fully formulated in the coming months.

The first step was to categorise the services that should be deemed essential.

In the past these have been listed as services that are necessary for control, processing and distribution of fuel, uninterrupted supply of power, water supply, telecommunications, radio communication, air transport, hospitals, ports, prisons, customs, sewerage, waste management, refuse collection and maintenance and repair of electromechanical installations in hospitals, airports, and National Guard, fire service, and police facilities.

“Our goal is the institutionalisation of minimum levels of operation in essential services in the midst of strikes,” Demetriou said. “This can be done by extending and putting into practice the existing [2004] agreement.”

Demetriou said the majority of developed countries have such relevant legislation “that governs this serious issue.

“We can, through public dialogue and consultation, secure in a balanced and institutionalised way both the rights of workers and public safety and health,” she concluded.