A long-standing pension dispute at Cyprus’ public broadcaster, CyBC, is set to be resolved, heard on Wednesday, following a key agreement involving the government, trade unions, and the organisation’s management.

The breakthrough follows the direct intervention of President Nikos Christodoulides, who played a crucial role in settling an issue that had remained unresolved for years. Under the agreement, CyBC’s indefinite contract employees will be included in the new pension scheme established by legislation passed in 2022.

In a statement, CyBC welcomed the deal, calling it a “positive outcome” that ends a long-running challenge for the affected employees. The agreement was reached through cooperation between CyBC, the Sek and Peo trade unions, as well as the ministries of finance and interior.

The core issue had been the lack of salary data, which hindered the full calculation of pension benefits for these employees. The CyBC board of directors took legal advice and approved decisions to formally recognise the hiring dates and employment history of former staff, ensuring their eligibility for the new pension plan.

The agreement ensures pensions will be calculated using actual salary figures. This will not be limited to payslips but will also consider payroll records from the social insurance fund, where CyBC is officially listed as the employer. Additionally, pensionable service will be assessed using data from CyBC, the social insurance fund, income tax records, and any payroll information provided by employees.

CyBC stressed that it had worked tirelessly to resolve the issue fairly and in full compliance with legal provisions. 

“Our priority was to ensure that no affected employee was treated unfairly,” the broadcaster stated.

The pension dispute had been one of CyBC’s most persistent administrative challenges. The organisation pointed out that past management teams had not anticipated that, after more than 30 years, the House of Representatives would legislate to include indefinite contract workers in the pension scheme.