The plenum has approved a 1.5% salary increase for public-sector employees, following an agreement reached in July between trade unions and the government. The decision was made on Thursday, with a majority of votes supporting the government’s proposal.
However, some opposition was noted. MPs from Disy, Elam, the Greens, Akel representative Irini Charalambidou, and Edek MP Costis Efstathiou voted against the measure.
The approved raise will be implemented immediately and is also applicable retroactively for October salaries. This pay hike is considered a ‘general increase,’ meaning it applies across the board to all government and broader public sector employees. The last such raise occurred 15 years ago.
The increase will affect both salaries and pensions, benefiting full-time and part-time public sector workers. The pay boost ranges between €28 and €65 per month, depending on the employee’s salary scale. Judges and the attorney-general are also included in the pay rise, while the president, ministers, MPs, mayors, and other officials are excluded.
In addition to this general increase, public-sector employees are entitled to automatic annual pay increments, where the percentage depends on their pay scale. Workers also receive the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA), which adjusts wages based on inflation.
Source: Cyprus-Mail