NICOSIA: Air traffic controllers on the Mediterranean resort island of Cyprus threatened Friday to go on strike next month to protest against government austerity measures.
The controllers' union said talks with the government had broken down as their proposals had been "dismissed without being examined" and there was "no willingness for a dialogue."
"We have no other option but to repeat and escalate strike measures," the union said in a statement.
The island's two international airports at Larnaca and Paphos now face being shut down for four hours a day on March 2, 7, 12 and 15, in rolling stoppages that would cause delays for hundreds of passengers.
Nicosia flight control would also operate at 50 percent fewer staff for three hours on March 3 and 8.
Air traffic controllers are seeking exemption from a two-year public sector pay freeze while other grievances include manning levels and overtime pay.
They argue their salaries come from levies airlines pay for the use of Cyprus' air space, not from tax revenues, so they should not be subject to tough government spending cuts imposed to rein in a budget deficit.
The island's air traffic controllers staged stoppages in December and January but called a truce in favour of negotiating a settlement.
Employers, hotels and business groups condemned previous industrial action as "unacceptable," saying it was harming the key tourism industry.
They view strike action by a highly paid group of public workers as a "provocation" at a time Cyprus is facing record unemployment at 9.0 percent and economic stagnation.
Eurozone member Cyprus is implementing a tough austerity package to bring its bloated deficit below the European Union ceiling of three percent of gross domestic product for this year.
The package approved by parliament in December included tax rises, public sector cutbacks and increased employee contributions.
All flights are affected by the strike action except for VIP, state, military, hospital, humanitarian, search and rescue, and emergency services, or those facing technical problems.
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