EL-SEN Announces Strike on July 15

The EL-SEN Executive Board unanimously approved the strike action after the union’s repeated requests to meet with the management of the Cyprus Turkish Electricity Authority (KIB-TEK) were rejected. Speaking outside KIB-TEK headquarters, Tuğcu stated, “All we ask is to work in peace and dignity. We are ready to rebuild KIB-TEK together, but we are being ignored.”

Tuğcu said the union has long raised concerns over issues such as unqualified appointments, failure to grant permanent status to temporary workers, wage deductions, and safety deficiencies—yet received no positive response.

He also accused the KIB-TEK Board Chair of converting newly acquired field vehicles into a personal car.

“We Are Not Asking for Pay Raises”

Highlighting that 163 employees still lack permanent status, Tuğcu stressed: “We’re not asking for raises; we’re asking for merit and job security. If one of the underqualified technical staff you’re making work without proper authority gets hurt, how will you face their family?”

Tuğcu concluded with a stark warning: “The EL-SEN board has unanimously decided to strike starting July 15. The rope will snap, and someone will hang. If no concrete steps or radical decisions are taken by Tuesday, we won’t be responsible for what happens next. The responsibility lies above us.”