Unions back K-PET strike over nine employee dismissals

Petrol-İş has begun strike and protest action at Kıbrıs Türk Petrolleri (K-PET) over the dismissal of nine employees, with two unions declaring support for the workers.

Yeniduzen reported that Petrol-İş, which is affiliated with Dev-İş and organised at K-PET, launched the action in response to the dismissals. The dispute has also raised concern about possible effects on fuel supplies if the wider strike action continues.

KTAMS President Serman Yiğit said his union supported the K-PET workers’ action. He claimed that a Finance Ministry review had found the board’s collective dismissal decision to be procedurally irregular.

Yiğit also said the Labour and Social Security Ministry had issued an adverse opinion on the dismissals, but that K-PET management had not withdrawn its decision. He called on the ministry to take steps to cancel the dismissals immediately.

According to Yiğit, any disruption to fuel supplies during the Dev-İş strike would be the responsibility of K-PET management. He also said KTAMS opposed dismissals at a time when companies’ profit margins were increasing while the public faced cost-of-living pressures.

Ada-Sen backs indefinite action

In a separate report, Halkın Sesi said Ada-Sen President Kağan Mındıkoğlu expressed support for the indefinite strike launched by Petrol-İş at K-PET.

Mındıkoğlu described initiatives to dismiss the nine employees as unacceptable and said Ada-Sen supported Petrol-İş and the affected workers in defending employee rights and preventing hardship.

He called for the dispute to be addressed through dialogue and compromise rather than dismissals, with labour laws, regulations and workers’ rights respected. Mındıkoğlu also urged the necessary steps to be taken for the nine employees to remain in their jobs.