Buses in Larnaca were running normally on Saturday after trade unions and operator Cyprus Public Transport reached an agreement to bring an end to almost two weeks of strikes.

Three trade unions, Ompege-Sek, Segdamelin-Peo, and Deok, released a joint statement once service had been resumed, saying that “the process of monitoring the resolution of the issues will continue under the supervision of the labour relations department”.

This, they added, will be done “with the aim of resolving outstanding issues and of the full implementation of the collective agreement”.

They added that in bringing the strike to an end, “workers are giving the company the necessary time to implement the labour ministry’s proposal”.

The labour ministry, meanwhile, said it was satisfied with the “positive outcome of the efforts to reach a common understanding between the unions and the employer for the implementation of the collective agreement … and for the smooth operation of public transport in the Larnaca district”.

“The effective operation of the tripartite social cooperation of workers, employers and the state is based on the constructive contribution of all parties to reach agreements and resolve disputes,” it said.

It added that both the labour and transport ministries “attach particular importance to the role public transport human resources play in upgrading the role of public transport in people’s everyday lives.

“The competent state services will substantially assist, in cooperation with Cyprus Public Transport and with workers’ representatives,” it added.

The deal struck on Friday ensures that all workers will receive a mandated one-hour break during the working day, and that they begin receiving overtime payments from the minute they go over the allotted seven hours and 36 minutes of work per day – 38 hours of work per week – set out in the collective labour agreement.