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The Australian Transport Workers Union has threatened to place bans of aircraft flying tourists to Fiji.
The national secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress, Felix Anthony, has been visiting Australia and New Zealand seeking international trade union support for a campaign opposing a proposed new decree that would limit union rights in Fiji.
The ATWU claims Fiji’s military-led government is out to smash workers’ rights to be effectively represented by a union.
The proposed decree – a copy of which has been obtained by Radio Australia – would prevent full-time union officials from representing anybody in a range of important industries.
The ATWU says direct industrial action will be taken if Fiji union officials suffer further threats and terrorism.
But Fiji’s military commander and interim prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, has told Fiji’s commercial radio station FM 96 the union action would not influence him.
“If this move is to try and get us to an early election date that is not going to happen,” he said.
“But it’s nothing to do with support for people here. It’s a political agenda. We are not going to budge. The Fiji Government is not going to budge with regards to an election.”
The National Secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress, Felix Anthony, is now in New Zealand after visiting Australia.
Fiji Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khayum has accused Mr Anthonyof misleading overseas unions into believing the interim government is anti-union.
While speaking to Pacific Beat, he also accused the FTUC secretary of being disloyal to Fiji, and potentially putting the country’s tourism industry in jeopardy.
“When we talk about the tourism industry, we’re not just talking about the hotel owners,” he said.
“You’re talking about the lady in the village who makes handicrafts, you’re talking about people who grow pawpaws from the village and sell it to the hotels. You’re affecting tens of thousands of people, you’re affecting their livelihood. This is what Felix Anthony is advocating.”
Source: Radio Australia News
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News category: Asia Pacific.
