University of the South Pacific staff union warns of strike action during exam week

University of the South Pacific (USP) staff have gone back to work but are ready to strike again if needed, says the general secretary of one of the unions.

Rosalia Fatiaki, with the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS), said there's a possibility that strike action could resume next week during the students' final exams.

"We have not withdrawn the strike; the unions informed council last week that we will take intermittent striking when we see that there's no movement. If no progress is made, we reserve the right to strike again," Fatiaki said.

The unions started striking on Friday, 18 October, and suspended on Thursday, 24 October.

The unions are calling for vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia to resign and for Dr Osborne-Naikatini, whose employment contract was terminated on 9 July, to be reinstated. Placards and banners read, 'Pal must go' and 'USP leadership in crisis'.

Fatiaki said the Fiji government is also putting pressure on USP to follow through with an independent review agreed on at a special council meeting last month.

However, there is a disagreement about what the reivew sahould focus on.

USP said it will be on human resources, while unions want it tp focus on the grievances staff have with the vice-vhancellor.

Fatiaki said it's been five weeks since the special council meeting and no progress had been made to the investigation.

"Fiji government is trying its best to push the council to take action, and the action here is really to progress the outcome of the special council," she said.

A USP spokesperson said the special council meeting on 24 September addressed concerns related to human resource decisions.

"The Council resolved to initiate an independent review (not investigation) of recent HR decisions, with findings to be presented at its November meeting."

They said USP had not received any formal notification from the unions regarding there readiness to strike again.