Bune Wants Trade Disputes Act Reviewed

The Trade Disputes Act must be reviewed to ensure it is not abused by trade unions.

These are the words of Interim Public Service Poseci Bune following the calling off of the Fiji Nursing Association strike yesterday.

In a statement, Bune also said that he believes that if you issue a strike notice and you call on your members to go on strike, you cannot after one or two days, call off the strike without sitting down to negotiate an agreement.

Bune also stated that he has advised the Registrar of Trade Unions not to entertain any new disputes since the unions have abused the process of the Trade Disputes Act.

Bune offered these comments in relation to the Fijian Teachers Association proposed move of lodging a fresh 28 days strike notice with the Ministry of Labour once school commences.

Bune coined the move by the FTA to lift the strike once the school holidays were brought forward and relodge their strike notice as an abuse of the process.

He also said that those who do this should be penalized heavily.

The Registrar of Trade Unions is expected to comment later this afternoon.