K-Pet fuel deliveries halted as workers begin indefinite strike

Workers at Kıbrıs Türk Petrolleri’s Kalecik filling facility began an indefinite strike on Wednesday, interrupting fuel deliveries to K-Pet service stations, according to reports by Halkın Sesi and Cyprus Mail.

The dispute centres on the proposed dismissal of nine employees and wider concerns about staffing levels at the facility. The Petrol-İş union said talks involving union and company representatives, along with Labour Minister Oğuzhan Hasipoğlu, ended without an agreement.

According to Petrol-İş, K-Pet requested 24 hours to consider rehiring the nine workers and addressing related staffing requirements. The union said it began the indefinite strike after that period ended.

Levent Çağdal, chairman of the Turkish Cypriot petrol station owners’ association, said K-Pet stations were not receiving fuel during the strike. However, he said existing stocks meant there was no immediate reason to expect shortages. Other oil companies were continuing to supply their own stations, he added, while mediation efforts were under way.

Dispute over dismissals and staffing

Dev-İş President Semih Kolozali said the employer had refused to withdraw notices linked to the dismissal of the nine employees. He also alleged that the decision had been taken through an irregular board process and that approval from the relevant ministry was required under the company’s regulations.

Hasipoğlu said he had rejected the termination motions as procedurally improper and regarded the nine workers as still employed, despite the company informing them that they had been dismissed. He also questioned whether financial reasons justified the dismissals, saying the workers could be assigned to other roles.

Kolozali said the facility’s regulations provided for 71 employees, or at least 40 under an adjustment for current conditions, while 34 people, including managers, were currently working there. He estimated that dismissals would bring the number below 25 and said five employees were expected to become eligible for retirement within two years. These staffing figures and projections were presented by the union.

The strike comes as fuel prices in the Republic of Cyprus have encouraged more Greek Cypriots to use stations in the north, according to Cyprus Mail. On Wednesday, it reported 95-octane petrol at TL 77.12 per litre and diesel at TL 76 at Turkish Cypriot stations.