Pacific

Fiji teachers vote for industrial action to fight pay cuts

19:07 pm on 21 March 2007

A majority of the members of the the Fiji Teachers Union has voted in favour of industrial action in response to the government's decision to cut pays by five percent.

The union has canvassed members nationwide as public sector employees consider a united position to the military-backed interim government's cost-cutting policies.

The union's general secretary, Agni Deo Singh, says despite a ban on strikes there is there is overwhelming support for industrial action.

"The members of the Fiji Teachers Union have overwhelmingly voted in favour of taking strike action to seek redress against the five percent pay cut and the breach of the partnership agreement by the government of the day. In fact 80 percent of the members who have voted have voted in favour of strike action."

Agni Deo Singh of the Fiji Teachers Union