Five Public Sector Unions Call for “Salary and Tax Justice”

The unions—Cyprus Turkish Civil Servants’ Union (KTAMS), Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union (KTÖS), Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS), Cyprus Turkish Public Officials’ Union (KAMUSEN), and Public Workers’ Union (Kamu-İş)—issued a joint statement highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by public sector workers and reiterating their demands.

KTÖS General Secretary Burak Maviş said public employees continue to bear unfair burdens, public resources are being misappropriated, and the reputation of civil servants is being undermined. “We can no longer tolerate the government’s stalling and delaying tactics,” Maviş added.

Maviş called for the repeal of Law No. 47/2010, referred to as the “Migration Law,” which governs salaries, wages, and allowances for public workers, emphasizing the need for equal pay for equal work. He also highlighted demands for investment in public services and improving the quality of public administration.

On taxation, Maviş criticized the current system, noting that in both the public and private sectors, low earners are disproportionately burdened while high earners benefit from minimal taxation. “This system is flawed. Tax brackets, exemptions, and assessment bases must be updated so that those who earn less pay less, and those who earn more pay more,” he said.

Referring to a protocol signed with the Prime Minister in 2023, Maviş noted that written demands submitted on 24 September 2024 have yet to be implemented. He accused the government of ignoring its responsibilities and avoiding accountability.

Maviş warned that public employees will not be pawns in election calculations. “Every step the government fails to take, every demand it ignores, will be reflected at the ballot box,” he said, adding that once election restrictions lift, the unions will pursue their demands both in Parliament and on the streets.

The statement concluded with the five unions calling for the full implementation of signed protocols, the elimination of inequalities arising from the Migration Law, and the establishment of fairness in taxation.