Education unions seek presidential meeting over indefinite contract legislation

The three main education unions in Cyprus, POED, OELMEK, and OLTEK, have requested an urgent meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides. The request follows the parliament's passage of the Public Educational Service (Amendment No. 2) Law of 2026, which prohibits the termination of employment for indefinite-term teachers in redundancy cases. President Christodoulides has since referred this legislation back to the legislature, leading to a scheduled review by the Supreme Court on May 13, 2026. The unions argue that the amendment corrects a long-standing injustice, aligning teacher rights with those of other public sector employees. They have scheduled their own joint meeting for May 11, 2026, to evaluate the situation and are requesting the presidential meeting take place prior to this date. While the government and presidential sources express concern over potential financial burdens resulting from the law, the unions maintain that the change is necessary for equity. The legal challenge remains a focal point as both the executive and educational bodies prepare for the upcoming court date.