Nurses’ trade unions have insisted that collective labour agreements protecting the rights and benefits of both existing and future nursing staff, including those recruited from abroad, are non-negotiable.

In a joint statement following Thursday’s House health committee discussion on proposed legislative amendments concerning the employment of nurses from third countries, SEK, PEO, Pasydy and Pasyno reiterated their position that staffing needs could be met by Cypriot nurses.

The unions said regulating employment conditions through collective agreements would help attract staff and prevent further departures from the profession.

They also stressed that language proficiency was primarily a matter of patient safety and quality of care, arguing that requirements must reflect the responsibilities of nursing staff and ensure effective communication with patients and other healthcare professionals.

The unions expressed strong dissatisfaction with the health ministry for failing to convene a meeting with trade unions, nursing representatives and employers’ organisations, despite having been given 15 days to facilitate dialogue on a comprehensive solution.

They said discussions before the House health committee had demonstrated that the conditions for a consensus did not exist and that the proposed legislative amendment should not proceed to the House plenum in its current form.

The unions also dismissed claims made by employers’ federation OEV and the private hospitals’ association (Pasin) as unsubstantiated, arguing that they did not contribute to addressing the nursing sector’s problems.

They warned that they would act as “a barrier to any attempt to downgrade the nursing profession or introduce any regulation that could endanger the quality and safety of care provided in Cyprus’ hospitals”.

The unions concluded that addressing healthcare staffing shortages required serious planning, reliable evidence and meaningful dialogue, alongside policies protecting healthcare standards and strengthening the nursing profession.