TRNC Authorities Repeal Strike Ban Law

Trade unions in the TRNC have withdrawn their lawsuit filed with the Constitutional Court against the decree that banned strikes in essential services. The President of the Turkish Cypriot Public Servants Union (KTAMS) confirmed that the government has already repealed the controversial decree.

“The government issued a new decree with the force of law, which annulled the previous one. Since the subject of the lawsuit is no longer relevant, we have withdrawn our complaint from the Constitutional Court,” explained the union leader in a press statement outside the Nicosia District Court.

In mid-December, a draft law on “collective labor agreements, strikes, and referendums” was introduced in Northern Cyprus. This law included provisions aimed at preventing protests in essential services. The document was published in the Official Gazette, and a 20-day period was allocated for public review.

The full document can be accessed here.

The draft law sparked opposition from trade unions, who challenged the decision by filing a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court. However, the Council of Ministers later issued a new decree repealing the original law, and the unions withdrew their legal action.

It’s also important to note that last year, the government repeatedly postponed a strike by air traffic controllers in the Department of Civil Aviation for 60 days.