USP Unions commence strike action

Staff members of the University of the South Pacific who were on on strike have resumed work however the unions say they will call for a strike again on short notice if their demands are not met for a clear and transparent investigation.

According to the USP Staff Union President Reuben Colata and Association of USP Staff President, Krishnil Ram, the courage and resilience of their members during the strike has been phenomenal and will inspire generations to come.

Colata and Ram says he is thankful to the members for showing courage.

They have also thanked Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka for his intervention and support for the unions in its commitment to upholding people's fundamental rights.

They reiterate that these rights are essential in safeguarding the interests of workers and the assurance that their voices are respected and heard.

The unions also acknowledged the support from the Fiji Labour Party, Unity Fiji Party and the Fijian Teachers Association for standing in solidarity with them.

The strike period is valid until the 14th of February 2025.

The students continued to march today in solidarity according to General Secretary of the Association of USP Staff, Rosalia Fatiaki.

Our struggling parents have spent so much money to pay for our school fees at the university and we are worried the strike will compromise the preparations of our exams and our hope for a good future.

This was highlighted by some students of the University of the South Pacific as they took part during the fifth day of the strike.

These students were supported by members of the university staff and other colleagues as they marched around the campus, and gathered in front of Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia's residence.

Frustrated students who did not want to go on camera told fijivillage News that they are worried about their exams and future.

Stay with us for developments.

Unity Fiji Party Leader, Savenaca Narube stood in solidarity with staff of the University of the South Pacific during their fourth day of strike and echoed similar sentiments by the members saying that poor leadership has taken the University down.

Narube says he is thankful to the University for accepting his delegation to talk at the strike and wanted to send a clear message that he is supporting the strike and the concerns of the staff and unions.

He says that it takes courage and commitment to change things and he wanted to make things clear they are not fighting alone.

Narube reiterates that good governance has been on a decline for a long time at the University, as he poses the question of when the decline is going to end.

He commends the unions and staff for the fight and he is urging them to continue the good fight till good sense prevails.

Narube stresses that people in leadership should not have their values and work ethics corrode and people must strengthen good governance.

He says accountability needs to be restored at the University.

The stand-off must not be allowed to continue at the expense of the education of our children.

This the message from Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu as the stand-off between the University of the South Pacific and its Staff Association continues into its fifth day without a resolution in sight, and this is becoming serious, considering that it's happening on the eve of the assessment of the students attending USP.

In a statement, Seruiratu says this is the result of many months of tension between the organization and its staff, which would have been averted, had USP taken the time to listen to its employees' grievances.

He says the Staff Association is calling for an investigation into governance issues at USP which primarily sits on the shoulders of the Vice Chancellor as the Head of the institution.

He further says that he finds the call for the Vice Chancellor to go on leave to allow for an investigation to be conducted into the affairs of USP, is not unreasonable.

The Opposition Leader says he finds it rather disconcerting for USP to issue a statement saying that the strike is over an issue that the management considers to be outside their collective contracts and conditions of employment.

He says this is sad because the USP Management should seek the intervention of the Council if it feels that it is not in a position to resolve the issues raised by the striking staff.

Seruiratu says after all, it is the Council that is the appointing authority for the Vice Chancellor of the University, and the stand-off must not be allowed to continue at the expense of the education of our children.

The Opposition Leader adds the allegations by the staff association are serious and must be investigated.

He says if it is true that employment contracts of promising Pacific Islands academics at USP who have invested so much in the organization for the sake of children are not being renewed, then the issues raised by the USP Staff Association call for urgent attention from all stakeholders.

Seruiratu says USP must continue to stand tall in the international arena as a premier organization nurturing and grooming future Pacific Islands and international leaders.

He also says to continue on that path, USP must be guided by leaders who have the best interest of the Pacific and our people in their hearts.

He says this is the time for the Fiji government, as the largest single donor to the USP and Member of the USP Council, to come forward and seek to resolve the situation.

He adds this will take decisive leadership, and the Government cannot sit back and allow the future of our children and the region to be denigrated.

Although some students and union members confirm that some tutorials have been affected due to the University of the South Pacific unions’ strike since last Friday, USP claims all lectures and tutorials are proceeding as scheduled.

USP says the claim by the unions that there has been widespread cancellation of classes is blatantly false.

When asked on calls coming in that the tutorials were affected, USP said students are regularly informed of their class schedules, especially as many courses are conducting unit revisions in preparation for Study Week next week.

The University says they can confirm that for any classes affected by the strike involving lecturers or teaching assistants, either teaching for the semester has already concluded or replacement staff have been assigned to continue the classes.

They say they also confirm that all essential services, including the Library, Medical Centre, Student Administrative Services, Counseling, Computer Labs, and ITS, continue to operate without interruption.

USP also says it respects and upholds the right of union members to participate in the strike however, the University subscribes to the legal principle that wages are payable in exchange for work.

It stresses that if union members withdraw their labour and do not provide work, the employer does not pay them.

It adds it remains steadfast in its commitment to students and continues to ensure that there are minimal disruptions to lectures, tutorials and other learning and teaching activities during the ongoing strike by Fiji-based staff.

USP says contrary to media reports, the University’s legal action is directed at the rulings of the Permanent Secretary of Employment, Productivity, and Workplace Relations, not the individual.

It says the University is of the view that the actions taken by the Ministry are wrong in law and is appealing this in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Relations Act.

USP says as previously communicated to students and staff, the USP Special Council Meeting on 24th September 2024 addressed concerns related to human resource decisions.

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

USP says Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, as the head of the regional institution, is currently engaged in official University business across the region.

He is leading the USP delegation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa, where USP is actively involved in the opening ceremony, exhibitions, roundtable discussions, and is jointly hosting the ACU Scholarships announcement by King Charles III.

The University says the claim that the Vice Chancellor is on vacation is entirely false.

USP also says it is disheartening to hear union members refer to the Laucala Campus as a "marketplace," particularly given that the facilities rank among the best in the country, offering students a state-of-the-art learning environment.

The University echoes Fiji’s Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro’s comments that we can and will resolve this matter through dialogue and by following the established processes and procedures of USP and Fiji’s Employment Relations Act.

As day 4 of the University of the South Pacific unions’ strike ends with no resolution in sight, Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says the USP Staff unions are in compliance with the provisions and procedures for a strike as set out in the Employment Relations Act 2007.

Rabuka says he has also been informed that all USP Laucala Campus’ student support services are operating as normal by staff members who are not union members as well as staff who are union members but have chosen not to go on strike.

The Prime Minister says he has also authorised the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro to call for a meeting of the USP Council to deliberate on the log of claims from the USP Staff unions.

Meanwhile Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry is questioning the delay in investigating the long standing staff grievances at USP which has culminated in the current stand off between USP management and its unions.

Chaudhry says a Special Council meeting in September 2024 agreed to set up an independent inquiry to deal with the matter but a terms of reference for this has still not been finalized.

He says the independent inquiry report was to have been presented to the Council Meeting in November 2024 but this is now not likely to happen.

The unions allege that the delay is deliberate considering that the Council Secretariat reports to the Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.

He says they want the Vice Chancellor to be suspended to allow for the independent investigation to take place unobstructed.

Chaudhry says the allegations include cutting down on staff to reduce costs resulting in overloading of the remaining staff and pushing for more online courses even though students prefer on campus teaching.

He says there are over 300 vacant positions which need to be filled.

Staff have also queried the sharp increase from $200 to $600 per diem rate for Suva for the Vice Chancellor.

He also says the staff are questioning why the Vice Chancellor is staying in expensive hotels when there is an official residence at the Laucala campus which is lying vacant.

Chaudhry says he is surprised that despite the current crisis at USP, the Vice Chancellor and senior management staff are in Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

We have sought comments from the USP.

I’m amazed that the government of Fiji is doing very little to bring closure to this longstanding grievance of students and staff at the USP.

This was highlighted by Fiji Labour Party Leader and former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry as he visited the striking USP staff today.

The USP staff and student unions are demanding the immediate suspension of Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, citing ongoing poor leadership and governance at the university.

Chaudhry says the government's lack of intervention has allowed the crisis to escalate over the years, further impacting students and university operations, damaging the university’s reputation and affecting the education of its students.

He calls for an investigation into the serious allegations to restore trust and transparency, emphasizing that the ongoing poor management cannot be overlooked any longer.

He further says the Fiji Labour Party supports the cause of the striking workers and will be issuing an official statement shortly.

In an interview with fijivillage News, Association of USP Staff Acting President, Krishneel Ram says they are here because of governance issues.

He says they are tired of this political style of governance and delaying tactics.

Ram says the staff and students are united in solidarity and are not afraid of anything.

Ram says there is a deliberate delay in the investigation process, emphasizing that the shorter the time given for the investigation, the lesser information can be uncovered.

When asked by fijivillage News about the impact on students with disturbance in classes and upcoming exams, Ram says the union's efforts aim to ensure a better environment for learning and teaching at the university.

He says the students understand the issues at hand and are supporting the staff's actions.

He adds that after the strike, teachers are secretly meeting with students because they care about their studies and want to support them during this time.

Ram urges the USP Council members to take action, as the university is crucial for the region and greatly affects the students who are currently impacted.

As we enter the third day of the USP workers’ strike, Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro confirms that he has asked the USP Council for an update on the direction that it wishes to take regarding the strike.

While responding to questions from fijivillage News, Radrodro says Fiji is a member of the Council.

He says it is important that we allow the council to make its decision on the strike without undue influence, especially discussing issues in the media.

Radrodro says we must respect the independence and wisdom of the council.

He stresses for Fiji, their primary concern will be to ensure that our children’s education is prioritised and there are minimal disruptions to their studies given we have exams just around the corner.

Radrodro says as Minister for Education, they hope to have the dispute resolved amicably between the two parties, and they encourage them to talk and resolve the issues the Pacific way.

A few classes have been disrupted at the University of the South Pacific as about 186 staff members continued on strike today.

This was highlighted by the USP Staff Union General Secretary Reuben Colata to fijivillage News.

Colata says some tutorials were not held on Friday.

He says the strike has had an impact on students, and stakeholders, and USP needs to act now.

He says they are pushing for the terms of reference of the investigations into the Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia that needs to be released as soon as possible.

Colata says they are banking on the Fiji government to intervene since they are the biggest donor to USP.

We have sent questions to the University. They have not responded since Friday.

The Association of the University of the South Pacific and the University of the South Pacific Staff Union have commenced strike action in protest of the ongoing poor leadership at the University.

The unions have expressed deep dissatisfaction following the recent release of the Special Council meeting outcome, which they say misleadingly framed serious grievances as mere HR issues to be investigated rather than investigating the USP Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia.

The unions say they are clear : Vice Chancellor Ahluwalia must be removed as no credible investigation can take place as long as he remains in control of the institution.

They find it unacceptable that a person under investigation for leadership failures is still allowed to continue in the role as this is gross poor governance.

The unions say they have been raising concerns for months regarding the Vice Chancellor's management of the University and disclosed in an independent Report on his performance to the Council in November 2023.

The two unions say while they respectfully waited for the Special Council to act, the outcome from the Secretariat is ambiguous and fails to honestly reflect the core issue – Vice Chancellor Ahluwalia’s leadership that is running the University into the ground.

They say it has now been almost four weeks since the Special Council 2024 meeting, and the Terms of Reference for the independent investigation have yet to be finalized.

The unions says the Council Secretariat, which reports directly to the Vice Chancellor, has failed to move the process forward, raising concerns about alleged deliberate manipulation to stall the investigation.

They say it is important to note that even when the Terms of Reference is approved, the expressions of interest need to be called; the appropriate Council Committee needs to meet, select and appoint the most appropriate applicant before the investigation can begin.

They add this failure in finalizing the terms of Reference means further delays in calling for expressions of interest and convening of the Council Committee to brief the successful applicant.

The unions say this delay is unacceptable, especially given that it was agreed that the investigation report be presented to the November 2024 Council meeting.

They say at this rate, it is evident that the process is being deliberately manipulated and stalled.

@fijivillage.com USP unions commence strike action, they want VC Ahluwalia out Full Story:https://www.fijivillage.com/news/USP-unions-commence-strike-action-they-want-VC-Ahluwalia-out-f54x8r/ #fiji#fyp ♬ original sound - fijivillage

The Unions are calling for the immediate suspension of the Vice Chancellor in accordance with USP policy to ensure a timely, fair and transparent investigation.

As the situation stands, the staff members say they are frustrated and determined to take action until real accountability is achieved.

The staff unions say they are committed to restoring the integrity of USP and ensuring that the leadership is held to the highest standards for the benefit of the institution and its key stakeholders, both staff and students.

USP says they will endeavour to ensure that disruptions to services are minimal

By: Vijay Narayan

18/10/2024

The University of the South Pacific says it understands that the two unions concerned have decided to go on strike from today, and during this time, support for their students remains their utmost priority.

The University says they will endeavour to ensure that disruptions to services are minimal.

Meanwhile the USP Students Association has expressed significant concern over the potential impact on the educational experience and overall campus life.

The Students Association is deeply concerned by the misinformation which has caused some of their members wanting to join this strike based on incorrect and exaggerated claims, which has potentially altered perceptions of the issue at hand.

The USPSA clarifies that while some members may individually support the ongoing strike, the student body as a whole remains distinct and separate from the organizing entities of the strike.

They say they are also deeply concerned by the demand of the Fiji based staff unions, seeking the removal of the Vice Chancellor President, Pal Ahluwalia which may not align with the legal requirements under the ordinance governing the discipline of the Vice-Chancellor at USP, potentially undermining the rule of law and compromising the interests of all staff union members.

They say it is crucial for all parties to adhere to established legal frameworks at USP to ensure fair and equitable outcomes.

The Student Body recognises the valuable contributions of all staff however, the strike threatens to disrupt classes, delay academic progress, and hinder access to essential services that students rely on daily, especially as final examinations approach.

They encourage open dialogue, respect for diverse opinions, and continued commitment to their educational goals.