Fijian strikes
Jul 30 2007 19:40
Not sure of the details - just saw a very short piece on the morning news which said that 1300 nurses in Fiji have been on strike for a week after having their pay cut by 5%, and the military government (which came to power in a coup not too long ago) is considering firing all of them in the next couple of days.
The news also said that there would be a strike of 4000 more public sector workers this week, but didn't mention what over.
I'll see if I can find out anymore later today.
Jul 30 2007 22:16
#2
Very interesting, Asher. I don't hae any comments to make, but please keep keeping us up to date
Devrim
Jul 31 2007 10:48
#3
The military govt has made a new offer...
Quote:
The Interim PM said the nurses have already lost a week's wages and stand to lose much more if they continue with their strike.In the proposed Memorandum of Agreement forwarded by Bainimarama to Fiji Nursing Association General Secretary, Kuini Lutua, it is stated that the 1 percent pay cut restoration would be done in December with the remaining 4 percent subject to further discussion before the next budget.
The proposed agreement also states that the retirement age shall be left for a solution through the courts while the Partnership Agreement would not be withdrawn, but deferred to a later date.
And the Nurses Union is threatening to pull out more people if the Labour Minister doesn't send the case to arbitration:
Quote:
The Fiji Nursing Association said it intends to pull out around 190 student nurses who are members of the FNA if the Interim Labour Minister does not refer their industrial dispute to compulsory arbitration.Speaking to Village News in the last hour, FNA General Secretary Kuini Lutua also revealed that they will request the estimated 60 Nurse Managers and Nursing Directors to join their strike.
According to Lutua, the education of the student nurses, who are getting ready for exams later this month, will not be affected. She also believes that the Senior nurses who remain at work may be exhausted by now and will listen to their request.
The Interim Labour Minister, Bernadette Ganilau confirmed earlier that she is expected to make a decision later today on whether to refer the matter to arbitration after consulting the relevant parties.
Aug 1 2007 15:59
#4
This was the top link on laborstart:
Quote:
Fiji unionist says military told him he would be killed if summoned to barracks againPosted at 10:12 on 01 August, 2007 UTC
A Fiji trade unionist taken in for questioning by the military early today says he was told he and other leading unionists would be killed if they were summoned to the army barracks again.
Taniela Tabu, who is general secretary of the Viti National Union of Taukei Workers, says the military were angry at remarks he had made the previous day calling for the sacking of the interim finance minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, and suggesting that Commodore Bainmarama was not running the country.
Mr Tabu says he was force to strip to his underpants and a panel of army officers gave him a graphic warning.
“Second time you are brought here you will be killed. You will not get out of here alive and also go and inform [fellow unionists] Tevita Koroi, the president of the Fijian Teachers Association and Mr Attar Singh, the general secretary of the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions, that the three of you, if you are again brought here, you will be killed, you will never leave this place alive.”Mr Tabu was later questioned by police before being released.
His union and several others including the Fijian Teachers Association are to strike from tomorrow.
Aug 1 2007 23:33
#5
If anyone could post any of this shit to our news that'd be great. we have some shit from fiji a few months ago:
http://libcom.org/tags/fiji
Aug 2 2007 19:48
#6
Just found some updates, its escalated with more sectors joining. Will write up for news today.
Aug 3 2007 00:22
#7
Just submitted the following to news:
Quote:
Fiji: Public sector strikes grow amid death threats and intimidationA week long strike by 1400 nurses in Fiji expanded on Thursday as 1000 teachers and 300 public works, water and sewerage workers also began strike action, demanding the reversal of a 5% pay cut and the changing of the retirement age from 60 to 55, and an additional 10% pay rise.
The pay cut and change in retirement age were announced shortly after the military government took power in a coup last December. Earlier this week the military and police detained union leader Taniela Tabu, during which time they made deaths threats against him and demanded he pass on death threats to two other union leaders upon his release on Wednesday night.
The teacher's strike began with a 1000 person sit-in at the teachers union headquarters, with songs, speeches and kava. Meanwhile, Fijian police went to schools and hospitals in an attempt to intimidate strikers.
The Fijian government is still considering declaring the nurses strike illegal, in which case it would be able to fire all 1400 nurses for not attending work for 7 days.
The strikes are continuing indefinitely.
There's a video from TV3 News on the strikes available at http://tv3.co.nz/VideoBrowseAll/InternationalVideo/tabid/313/articleID/31833/Default.aspx#video
Aug 3 2007 12:49
#8
you rock dude
Aug 3 2007 19:37
#9
Heh, 'tis good, every time I write something it gives me something to post on here, to post on my blog and to make into a feature on Aotearoa Indymedia 
It's like 3 times the result for 1 bit of effort 
Some bits and pieces on this:
an article from WSWS.
From Fijilive:
From Fijian Broadcasting Corp: